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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation continues.