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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect more updates as creation advances.