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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”

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

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

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"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 states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an official launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate additional details as development advances.