The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Response
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.
Ismailer stated that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”
With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The option is yours."
The game does not have an announced release date or platforms, but fans can expect further news as production continues.
