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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 crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full message from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation progresses.