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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as creation advances.