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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished 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 am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.

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

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can expect additional details as creation advances.