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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production continues.