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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 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 indicated the need for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.