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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having spent the recent years developing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all eager to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution 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 suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your team can secure victory? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as production progresses.