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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative 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 description explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can expect further news as creation advances.