🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Response

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

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as creation continues.