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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 developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

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

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently 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 diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development advances.