2K Brings Onboard Apex Legends Lead to Rescue Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

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

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling the project with a revised focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Below is the complete text from the president's communication:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re excited for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a clearer brand.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to consideration and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS grows every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in welcoming him soon. We are all eager to continue seeing the progress of the game in the weeks to follow.

David

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the game's pitch explains. "Take on the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an announced release date or platforms, but players can anticipate more updates as production advances.