The Gaming Giant Recruits Apex Legends Lead to Boost Troubled Hero Shooter Project Ethos

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified employees about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now reimagining the project with a revised approach, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a clearer identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the incredible advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having devoted the past decade and a half developing and leading some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting him soon. We are all excited to persist observing the development of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description reads. "Challenge the rivals with fresh skills, risks, and tests that change every match. Will you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can look forward to additional details as production continues.