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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on the specified date.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"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 game's pitch explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as development continues.