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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as development continues.