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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to further news as development continues.