The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as production advances.
