The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer game identity.
The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Key Hires
This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire text from the president's memo:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect additional details as development continues.
