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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but fans can look forward to more updates as production progresses.