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The renowned publisher has welcomed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Transition Follows Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from Ismailer's communication:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most popular series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee currently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling step forward on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that evolve every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The option is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as development continues.