The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Key Acquisitions
The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our audience.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as production continues.
