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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.