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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"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 description states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation continues.