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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated 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 excited for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to come.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation continues.