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

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation advances.