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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to persist observing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as development continues.