The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer vision.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet community desires.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a sharper brand.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.
The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.
Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of the game in the time to come.
David
Experience of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."
The game does not have an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.
