2K Recruits Apex Legends Producer to Rescue Challenged Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer notified staff about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the complete message from the president's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It confirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a clearer vision.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s poised to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the incredible development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following some time of discussions, Ben comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is vast, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular franchises in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in welcoming Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier worked at Treyarch and Activision in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. Then, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "no-cost, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and pray your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official release date or supported systems, but players can expect additional details as creation continues.