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

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Comes After Poor Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer notified team members about this strategic move through an internal memo, which stressed that early feedback sessions had shown the necessity for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and creative creators we have had the opportunity to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”

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

The gamer responses 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 revealed the need for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to mind and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the PVP shooter space is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most well-known series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to persist observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year alongside a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Will you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The option is yours."

The game does not have an official release date or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as production progresses.