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

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a revised approach, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After a period of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints 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 action-packed experience and an exciting step forward 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production advances.