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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as production continues.