2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman assumes 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 underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
Recently, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a distinct game identity.
The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a revised vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Hires
This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.
Below is the entire text from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”
Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The community feedback from last fall’s the game testing phase was revealing. It validated the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer identity.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.
The trust in this project grows every day. To advance the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
His management and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.
Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.
David
Background of the New Head
The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.
Game Details and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is up to you."
The game lacks an announced launch window or platforms, but players can expect additional details as production progresses.
