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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as development advances.