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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder 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 exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to continue.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an official release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.