The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined direction.
The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."
The game does not have an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as creation advances.
