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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

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

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an official release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production continues.