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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as production continues.