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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head 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 underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full content from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he starts with us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all eager to continue observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game does not have an official launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as creation progresses.