2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.
Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Response
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.
On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined game identity.
The president stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Hires
This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.
Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:
Hello Everyone—
I understand you all just completed your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”
With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a clearer vision.
The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s management and background in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and managing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.
I invite you all in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.
David
Experience of the New Head
Brinkman presently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Details and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that change every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."
Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as creation progresses.