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The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The belief in this project strengthens every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of conversations, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the position of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"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 states. "Challenge the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or platforms, but players can look forward to additional details as production progresses.