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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of the game in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development progresses.