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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution 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 game's pitch reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as creation progresses.