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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"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 official summary explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as creation continues.