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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as creation advances.