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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as creation continues.