The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Producer to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Follows Poor Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed team members about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full text from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. After a period of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming Ben soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and tests that change every match. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an official release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as development continues.