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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Follows Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative 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 game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your squad can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect further news as production continues.