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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 developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor 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 the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect additional details as production continues.