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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the complete content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience 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 live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production continues.