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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the full text from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After a period of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, gamble everything, and hope your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as creation progresses.