2K Brings Onboard Popular Battle Royale Producer to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Project Ethos
2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.
Management Shift Follows Poor Reception
Brinkman assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last autumn.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.
The president expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement 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 development group.
Here is the entire message from the president's communication:
Team—
I know you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to endure.”
Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was informative. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a sharper vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our audience.
Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Director of the team. Following some time of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.
His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the recent years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the New Leader
Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.
Game Information and Concept
Project Ethos was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative advancement on the category."
"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Or take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is yours."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate more updates as development continues.