The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.
The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Key Recruitment
The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - 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 driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
The trust in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.
Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.
David
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."
The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as creation continues.
