The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire content from the president's memo:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.
The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After some time of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as production continues.
