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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as development advances.