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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a clearer direction.

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

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to mind and reimagined the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an official release date or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as creation continues.