2K Hires Apex Legends Lead to Revitalize Challenged Hero Shooter Project Ethos

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the complete content from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half developing and managing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of the game in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year alongside a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting 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 explains. "Take on the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and tests that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can anticipate additional details as development progresses.