2K Recruits Popular Battle Royale Lead to Boost Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct vision.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His management and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having devoted the recent years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year together with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"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 official summary reads. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as production advances.