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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution 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 match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or aim high, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as production advances.