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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward 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 suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can expect additional details as creation progresses.