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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. After a period of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that change every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.