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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

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

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete content from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production progresses.