The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Producer to Revitalize Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.