The Gaming Giant Hires Popular Battle Royale Producer to Revitalize Struggling Action Game Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The option is up to you."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as development progresses.