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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production advances.