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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman 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 this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter 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 reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as development continues.