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2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer direction.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar action taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the full content from the president's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the progress of the game in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward 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 match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to additional details as development progresses.