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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Director of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution 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 suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production continues.