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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of the game in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"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. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development advances.