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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - 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 driven and talented creators 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 past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production progresses.