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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

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

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as development advances.