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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as creation progresses.