🔗 Share this article

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this decision through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the necessity for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a revised vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game playtest was revealing. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His management and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben next week. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production progresses.