The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct game identity.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete text from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
David
Background of the New Leader
The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as development advances.
