The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Lead to Rescue Troubled Hero Shooter Project Ethos

2K Games has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

The new appointee assumes the role of studio head at 31st Union following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Key Hires

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to contribute to the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

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

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game playtest was revealing. It validated the promise of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It revealed the requirement for a clearer identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a renewed direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its promise to our players.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the outstanding advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of discussions, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and background in the competitive gaming genre is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and overseeing some of the most well-known franchises in gaming, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all looking forward to keep observing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to ahead.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, before that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Initially, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting 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 match your preferred approach," the description states. "Challenge the rivals with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every match. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, risk it all, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as development continues.