2K Recruits Popular Battle Royale Lead to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Response

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which highlighted that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer direction.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's communication:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and creative developers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to persist.”

Through your commitment and versatility, particularly over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was informative. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the criticism to consideration and revamped the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our fans.

The trust in this project grows every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the incoming Lead of the team. Following a period of talks, Ben comes aboard us on the specified date.

His guidance and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular titles in the industry, including 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 persist observing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

The President

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a community playtest. At the time, 31st Union presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting evolution on the style."

"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 unique powers, challenges, and tests that change every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and pray your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official release date or platforms, but fans can expect additional details as development continues.