The Gaming Giant Brings Onboard Apex Legends Lead to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Project Ethos

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Poor Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the necessity for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the input to consideration and revamped Project ETHOS with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

The belief in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following some time of talks, he officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming genre is extensive, having spent the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue witnessing the development of the game in the time to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and hope your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced release date or supported systems, but players can anticipate additional details as production progresses.