The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Follows Poor Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
The news echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as production continues.
