The Gaming Giant Hires Popular Battle Royale Producer to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title
The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Follows Poor Reception
The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined vision.
Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.
The trust in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.
The President
Background of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the category."
"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 official summary states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development progresses.