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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

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

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To further the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as development progresses.