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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

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

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"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 official summary explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development advances.