The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Response
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
His guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."
The game has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as creation progresses.
