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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Response

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' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a sharper identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution 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 official summary reads. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as creation progresses.