The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the full text from the president's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.
His leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
The game does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production advances.
