2K Hires Apex Legends Producer to Revitalize Struggling Hero Shooter Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman steps into the leadership position at 31st Union following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed staff about this organizational change through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had shown the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement echoes a comparable step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the entire content from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, he starts with us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the recent years creating and managing some of the most popular series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting him next week. We are all eager to persist seeing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Background of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year together with a early access event. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can earn top ranking? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed launch window or supported systems, but players can expect further news as production continues.