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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but fans can expect more updates as production advances.