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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of discussions, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect further news as production continues.