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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our audience.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to persist observing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the competition with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed release date or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as creation advances.