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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as creation continues.