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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as development continues.