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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined direction.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"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 game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as production continues.