The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Producer to Boost Challenged Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as production advances.