The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Comes After Mixed Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined vision.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire message from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."
"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 description explains. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
The game lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as creation progresses.
