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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

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

Below is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent 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 chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as production continues.