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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation progresses.