The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.
The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Key Acquisitions
The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development continues.
