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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official launch window or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as production advances.