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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as development advances.