The Gaming Giant Recruits Apex Legends Lead to Revitalize Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

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

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development continues.