The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Developer to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the forthcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Transition Follows Lukewarm Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the need for a distinct vision.

The president noted that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to contribute to the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the input to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the incoming Studio Head of the team. Following a period of discussions, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most well-known franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling evolution 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 fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Face the opponents with unique powers, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, put it on the line, and trust your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as creation advances.