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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into 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 early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as creation advances.