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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as creation advances.