The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer vision.
Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.
The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue observing the development of the game in the time to come.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or platforms, but players can expect further news as development progresses.
