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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production advances.