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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development continues.