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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 developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production continues.