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

Management Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation progresses.