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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, 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 early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background 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. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can expect further news as development advances.