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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every session. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect further news as production advances.