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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Response

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

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar action 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 full text from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all excited to keep seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling 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 fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as production progresses.