The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the complete content from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.
His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward 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 description reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."
The game lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate additional details as production advances.
