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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

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

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

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

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the development of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate further news as production continues.