The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Producer to Rescue Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive David Ismailer updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a distinct direction.

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

A Pattern of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire text from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative designers we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s the game testing phase was informative. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the necessity for a clearer vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the criticism to mind and revamped the title with a renewed goal - one that’s ready to fulfill its potential to our players.

The trust in this project strengthens every day. To advance the outstanding development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After a period of discussions, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s management and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having spent the last 15 years developing and leading some of the most popular titles in gaming, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all looking forward to keep seeing the progress of the game in the months to follow.

David

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, the developers portrayed the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the opponents with new abilities, risks, and tests that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your team can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but enthusiasts can anticipate additional details as production continues.