The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer vision.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The trust in this project grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on next week.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."
The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production advances.
