The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Poor Response
The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer game identity.
Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet player expectations.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the full content from the president's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that relationship to continue.”
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 demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a sharper identity.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
The President
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Details and Concept
The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your team can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation advances.
