The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined game identity.
The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.
