2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Leadership Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception
The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.
The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to address community desires.
A Pattern of Key Recruitment
This announcement follows a comparable step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to contribute to the BioShock development group.
Here is the full content from Ismailer's communication:
Hello Everyone—
I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game demo was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.
It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s ready to deliver on its potential to our audience.
The belief in this project grows every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Ben’s management and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all looking forward to continue seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.
David
Background of the New Leader
Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a public demo. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative step forward 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 fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every match. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."
Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or consoles, but fans can look forward to more updates as creation advances.
