The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Producer to Rescue Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure informed staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the requirement for a clearer vision.

The president noted that the team is now refining the project with a revised focus, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

The news mirrors a comparable move taken by the publisher in the summer, when they hired Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the entire message from the president's announcement:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Last time I sent you all a update, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You took the feedback to mind and reimagined the title with a refreshed vision - one that’s poised to fulfill its promise to our fans.

The trust in this project increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce the new hire as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the past decade and a half creating and leading some of the most popular titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting Ben soon. We are all eager to continue witnessing the evolution of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting step forward on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with fresh skills, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your group can secure victory? The decision is in your hands."

The game has not yet received an official launch window or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production advances.