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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation continues.