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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development progresses.