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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as production continues.