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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, 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.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Director of the team. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Face the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as development progresses.