The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Reception
The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the full text from the president's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. 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 partnership to continue.”
With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him next week. We are all excited to keep seeing the evolution of the game in the months to come.
David
Background of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative evolution on the style."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description reads. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or aim high, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but players can expect further news as creation progresses.
