The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Comes After Poor Reception
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head 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 staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete text from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.
The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."
The game does not have an official release date or consoles, but players can expect additional details as creation progresses.
