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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire 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 recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as creation continues.