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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist observing the evolution of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person 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 live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or consoles, but players can expect additional details as development continues.