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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

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

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

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

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as development advances.