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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 crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a clearer game identity.

The president noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following some time of conversations, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having spent the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution 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 states. "Challenge the opponents with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.