The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Comes After Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer vision.
The president noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full content from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The trust in this project increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
David
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as production progresses.
