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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can expect further news as production advances.