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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After some time of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.