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

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative 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 past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can expect additional details as development progresses.