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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward 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 description explains. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as production advances.