The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Producer to Boost Challenged Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure 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 consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the evolution of the game in the time to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your team can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as production progresses.