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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting 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 suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an official launch window or consoles, but players can expect further news as creation advances.