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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends 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.

Management Change Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

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

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect further news as creation progresses.