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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

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

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as development continues.