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The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes 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 the game's underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the necessity for a distinct game identity.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

With your dedication and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was informative. It confirmed the promise of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of the team. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to persist witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers described the title 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! Customize your character in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every match. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and hope your group can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but players can look forward to more updates as development continues.