The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception
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 Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment
The news follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full content from Ismailer's announcement:
Dear Team—
I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our players.
The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Director of 31st Union. Following some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the recent years producing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
David
Experience of the Incoming Leader
Brinkman currently holds the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers presented the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can anticipate further news as creation continues.
