2K Hires Apex Legends Producer to Revitalize Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a distinct direction.

Ismailer noted that the team is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete content from Ismailer's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative creators we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to come.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year together with a early access event. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"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 game's pitch reads. "Take on the opponents with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but players can expect more updates as production progresses.