2K Hires Apex Legends Developer to Boost Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Poor Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at 31st Union following the dismissal of previous head Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure notified staff about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had indicated the necessity for a distinct direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address gamer demands.

Trend of Key Recruitment

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

Here is the entire message from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I sent you all a message, I stated the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and creative designers we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s the game demo was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It revealed the need for a more distinct brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our audience.

The belief in Project ETHOS increases every day. To boost the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of discussions, Ben officially joins us on the specified date.

Ben’s leadership and background in the competitive gaming space is vast, having spent the past decade and a half producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable franchises in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all eager to keep seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a community playtest. Initially, 31st Union described the game as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the game's pitch states. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and tests that shift every match. Will you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively aim high, gamble everything, and trust your group can secure victory? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as creation progresses.