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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or consoles, but players can look forward to further news as creation advances.