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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm 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' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as production progresses.