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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to further news as production advances.