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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as production continues.