2K Hires Popular Battle Royale Lead to Boost Struggling Action Game Ambitious Title

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a more defined vision.

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

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the full message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that relationship to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its promise to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. After some time of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. Then, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, risks, and tests that change every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as production advances.