The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the full message from the president's communication:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The trust in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."
Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as development advances.
