🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

This announcement follows a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to further news as creation advances.