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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"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 official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect further news as development advances.