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2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a more defined direction.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. After several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half producing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced debut schedule or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as development continues.