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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete message from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience 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. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"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 states. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game does not have an announced release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production continues.