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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the full content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but players can expect more updates as development progresses.