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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on 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 introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds 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 production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.