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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into 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' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to heart and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue observing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as production progresses.