The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead 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 Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer game identity.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.
Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the development of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game does not have an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.
