2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Leadership Change Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing early showing last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer direction.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to persist.”
Through your commitment and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our players.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.
The President
Background of the New Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production continues.
