The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete content from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development advances.
