2K Recruits Apex Legends Lead to Revitalize Challenged Action Game Ambitious Title

2K Games has welcomed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Comes After Mixed Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at 31st Union following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure notified employees about this organizational change through an official communication, which emphasized that playtesting had indicated the need for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy community desires.

Trend of Strategic Hires

This announcement mirrors a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to work on the beloved franchise studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the entire message from the president's communication:

Team—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented creators we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last autumn’s the game testing phase was informative. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the requirement for a more distinct identity.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to mind and reimagined Project ETHOS with a refreshed goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its potential to our players.

The belief in this project increases every day. To further the outstanding progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. Following several months of talks, Ben officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and expertise in the competitive gaming field is extensive, having spent the past decade and a half creating and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting Ben soon. We are all excited to continue seeing the development of the game in the weeks to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Head

The appointee currently holds the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description explains. "Challenge the rivals with unique powers, risks, and obstacles that shift every round. Do you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or go big, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is up to you."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to additional details as creation continues.