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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 anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to heart and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.