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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a distinct direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

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

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After a period of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described 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! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as development advances.