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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as development progresses.