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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as production progresses.