🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as development continues.