🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to persist observing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as creation progresses.