2K Hires Popular Battle Royale Lead to Revitalize Struggling Action Game Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has secured a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed focus, aiming to better meet community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce the new hire as the latest Director of the team. After a period of conversations, he officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having devoted the recent years developing and managing some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction 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 step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary reads. "Take on the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every round. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an announced release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate further news as creation progresses.