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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After some time of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"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 description reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate additional details as production advances.