🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, he comes aboard us on next week.

His management and background in the PVP shooter field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most popular franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game lacks an announced release date or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.