2K Hires Apex Legends Developer to Boost Struggling Action Game Project Ethos

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president noted that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar action taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire content from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your gathering - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the recent updates. Last time I sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to heart and revamped Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the incoming Director of the team. Following several months of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to persist witnessing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. He previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the rivals with fresh skills, stakes, and tests that shift every round. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and hope your squad can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or consoles, but fans can anticipate more updates as creation advances.