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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After some time of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.