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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

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

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as 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 keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect further news as development advances.