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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as development continues.