🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can expect further news as development progresses.