2K Recruits Apex Legends Developer to Boost Troubled Action Game Project Ethos

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the development team at 31st Union, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee steps into the role of studio head at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a more defined game identity.

Ismailer noted that the developers is now refining the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet player expectations.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable action taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative designers we have had the pleasure to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to continue.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had work to do. It highlighted the requirement for a sharper brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s ready to achieve its potential to our players.

The trust in this project grows every day. To boost the outstanding progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the latest Lead of 31st Union. After some time of talks, Ben starts with us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having spent the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving Ben next week. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of the game in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the New Head

Brinkman presently serves in the position of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, earlier in his career, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling step forward 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 match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Face the competition with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that shift every session. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your group can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can look forward to additional details as production progresses.