2K Hires Apex Legends Lead to Boost Struggling Action Game Ambitious Title

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

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' disappointing unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a clearer game identity.

Ismailer expressed that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a revised focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the criticism to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our fans.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the competitive gaming field is considerable, having spent the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben next week. We are all excited to continue witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the opponents with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that evolve every match. Will you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Or go big, gamble everything, and hope your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced release date or consoles, but players can look forward to more updates as creation advances.