2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.
Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct direction.
Ismailer noted that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.
A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions
The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.
Below is the full text from Ismailer's memo:
Team—
I know you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”
Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its ambition to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.
His guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most recognizable series in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.
The President
Background of the New Head
The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.
Title Information and Vision
The upcoming game was revealed in last year together with a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can secure victory? The choice is yours."
Project Ethos lacks an official release date or supported systems, but fans can expect further news as development progresses.
