The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Developer to Rescue Struggling Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Poor Feedback

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a distinct direction.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I expressed the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to persist.”

With your dedication and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the criticism to consideration and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our fans.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the remarkable progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and managing some of the most popular titles in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him soon. We are all excited to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He earlier worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement 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 fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the competition with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can expect additional details as creation advances.