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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience 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 suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.