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2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct game identity.

The president stated that the team is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to contribute to the beloved franchise development group.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but made clear we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the input to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of talks, he starts with us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is extensive, having devoted the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee currently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, the developers presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, risks, and challenges that change every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can anticipate further news as creation advances.