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

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work 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 validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.