The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.
The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Hires
The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete message from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue observing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.
David
Experience of the New Leader
The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game lacks an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development continues.
