The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Poor Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on next week.
His management and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.
