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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but players can expect additional details as development advances.