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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting 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 states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as production continues.