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

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His management and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben next week. We are all eager to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch reads. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos lacks an confirmed launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production continues.