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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news mirrors a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the style."

"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 description states. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as production continues.