The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire message from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the development of the game in the time to follow.
David
Background of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as development advances.
