The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire text from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
His management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development continues.
