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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or consoles, but players can expect further news as creation advances.