The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete message from the president's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our fans.
The belief in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
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. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Vision
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."
"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 reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development continues.
