🔗 Share this article

2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

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

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as development progresses.