The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Mixed Response
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.
Trend of Key Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full text from the president's memo:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”
With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, he starts with us on the specified date.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to persist observing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution 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 description explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
The game lacks an announced release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as development progresses.
