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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as creation advances.