The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Reception
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the weeks to come.
David
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling 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 fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
The game has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as development advances.
