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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as creation advances.