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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.

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

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"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 official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as creation advances.