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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as development progresses.