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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing 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 shown the need for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete content from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It confirmed the promise 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 come. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of talks, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in welcoming him soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"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 description states. "Take on the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that change every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can expect further news as creation continues.