The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Comes After Mixed Reception
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct direction.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the full text from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as creation continues.
