The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the complete text from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."
The game has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as production continues.
