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

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as development continues.