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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

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

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a sharper vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as development continues.