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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 working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as development progresses.