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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can expect more updates as development advances.