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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time 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 innovative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect further news as development advances.