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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust 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 group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to further news as development progresses.