The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire message from the president's memo:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously 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 creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years producing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development advances.
