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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire message from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.

His management and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all looking forward to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development advances.