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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 developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His management and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to more updates as development advances.