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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"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 game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as production advances.