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The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff 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 refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.