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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in last year together with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is up to you."

The game does not have an official debut schedule or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as production progresses.