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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the full text from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as production continues.