🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the development of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as development progresses.