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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception

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

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production progresses.