🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the development team at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Poor Response

Brinkman steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a clearer vision.

Ismailer stated that the developers is now refining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

Trend of Strategic Acquisitions

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete text from the president's memo:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and innovative creators we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the last year, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s poised to achieve its ambition to our audience.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the outstanding development you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome the new hire as the new Lead of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming genre is considerable, having spent the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in receiving Ben soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the progress of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Leader

Brinkman currently serves in the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Game Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 together with a early access event. Then, 31st Union presented the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, stakes, and obstacles that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your collected items? Or aim high, risk it all, and pray your squad can achieve the highest spot? The decision is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an announced launch window or supported systems, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as production progresses.