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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having spent the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him next week. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and challenges that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your team can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as creation continues.