The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Key Hires
The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our players.
The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as creation continues.
