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

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative 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 reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as development progresses.