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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

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

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, 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 made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"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 description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation continues.