The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.
The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.
Trend of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the complete text from the president's communication:
Hello Everyone—
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 team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our players.
The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."
The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as creation continues.
