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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement 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 match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.