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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"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 description states. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as production advances.