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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as development advances.