The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct direction.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect further news as production advances.
