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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production continues.