🔗 Share this article

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

Management Shift Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the requirement for a distinct vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now reimagining Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address player expectations.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

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

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

With your dedication and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the input to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its promise to our fans.

The belief in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he officially joins us on next week.

His guidance and background in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of the game in the weeks to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers described the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience 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 live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and tests that change every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an confirmed launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect further news as production progresses.