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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an official launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as production advances.