The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Apex Legends Lead to Revitalize Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Change Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from the president's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a more distinct vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the input to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of discussions, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all looking forward to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

David

Background of the New Leader

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was revealed in last year alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description reads. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and obstacles that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or consoles, but players can anticipate more updates as creation advances.