2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.
Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
Trend of Strategic Acquisitions
The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire content from Ismailer's communication:
Dear Team—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”
Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the necessity for a sharper identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in welcoming him next week. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as production progresses.
