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2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and talented developers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that relationship to endure.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to heart and reimagined the title with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its potential to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce the new hire as the latest Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben next week. We are all eager to persist observing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Take on the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as development progresses.