The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Follows Poor Response
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct vision.
The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as development progresses.
