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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 working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation advances.