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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 working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Mixed Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer vision.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. After a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience 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 real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.