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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope 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 innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, challenges, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect further news as production advances.