🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all eager to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production progresses.