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

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to continue observing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"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 official summary states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as production continues.