2K Hires Popular Battle Royale Developer to Boost Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

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

Leadership Change Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the role of studio head at 31st Union following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's underwhelming unveiling last fall.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president stated that the team is now overhauling the project with a refreshed focus, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they hired an industry veteran from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

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

Team—

I understand you all just wrapped up your meeting - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative designers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game demo was enlightening. It validated the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the feedback to mind and overhauled the title with a refreshed direction - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our fans.

Our confidence in this project grows every day. To further the incredible development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Lead of the team. After some time of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in gaming, including the acclaimed shooter, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

I invite you all in greeting Ben soon. We are all looking forward to continue witnessing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Details and Concept

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a public demo. Initially, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an exciting step forward on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to match your preferred approach," the official summary reads. "Take on the rivals with new abilities, challenges, and challenges that evolve every match. Do you safely extract with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and trust your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

The game does not have an announced release date or platforms, but players can anticipate further news as creation advances.