The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, 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 team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire content from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.
The trust in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Leader
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."
"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 game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as development continues.
