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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production progresses.