🔗 Share this article

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Management Change Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Team—

I understand you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to endure.”

With your dedication and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the requirement for a clearer identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His management and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him soon. We are all excited to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year alongside a community playtest. Initially, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, challenges, and tests that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and hope your team can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game lacks an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as creation advances.