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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"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 official summary explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an official release date or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.