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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect more updates as development advances.