2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Feedback
Brinkman steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now overhauling the project with a renewed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Below is the complete content from the president's memo:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the input to heart and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
His management and background in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the last 15 years producing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.
Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Head
The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."
The game lacks an official debut schedule or supported systems, but players can look forward to additional details as production progresses.
