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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development advances.