🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer game identity.

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

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative 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 match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

The game lacks an official launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation continues.