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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

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

Here is the entire message from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After a period of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a public demo. Then, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as development continues.