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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

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

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as production progresses.