The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Apex Legends Lead to Boost Challenged Hero Shooter Project Ethos

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the need for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the necessity for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After several months of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the development of the game in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every session. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The decision is up to you."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate additional details as production continues.