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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

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

Here is the full text from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation continues.