The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.
The president noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the full text from Ismailer's announcement:
Team—
I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its potential to our players.
Our confidence in this project increases every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following some time of discussions, Ben officially joins us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your squad can secure victory? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an announced debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate more updates as development continues.
