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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as development progresses.