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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and leading some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective 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 real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an official launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production advances.