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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the progress of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as production advances.