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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the development of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official launch window or consoles, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.