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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development continues.