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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

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

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, 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 continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect further news as production advances.