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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee 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 initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as development progresses.