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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

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

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as production advances.