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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as development continues.