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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation progresses.