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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game 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! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as production progresses.