2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.
Trend of Strategic Hires
This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.
Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:
Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, 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 eager for that partnership to continue.”
Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game demo was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Director of the team. After several months of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep witnessing the evolution of the game in the weeks to follow.
David
Background of the Incoming Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Concept
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward on the style."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."
The game does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to further news as creation continues.
