The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback
Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the entire content from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
David
Background of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
The game does not have an official launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as creation advances.
