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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him soon. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the development of the game in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary explains. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as development continues.