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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

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

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, 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 evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but players can expect additional details as production advances.