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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production advances.