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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

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 the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

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

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect further news as creation progresses.