🔗 Share this article

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman 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 Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had shown the need for a clearer vision.

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

A Pattern of Key Acquisitions

The news echoes a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from Ismailer's memo:

Dear Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a message, I stated the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

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

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had refinements needed. It revealed the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to mind and revamped Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to fulfill its promise to our players.

The trust in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the latest Studio Head of the team. After several months of conversations, he starts with us on the specified date.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having dedicated the recent years creating and leading some of the most popular series in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple production roles on the Call of Duty series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the category."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the official summary states. "Take on the competition with unique powers, stakes, and challenges that change every match. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

The game lacks an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect further news as development advances.