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

Management Shift Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as creation advances.