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

Management Change Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.