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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as production advances.