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2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the full text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is vast, having spent the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting 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 match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition 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 secure victory? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed launch window or consoles, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation continues.