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

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as production advances.