The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, risks, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
The game lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as development advances.
