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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as development advances.