The Gaming Giant Recruits Apex Legends Lead to Boost Struggling Action Game Project Ethos

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to oversee the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently working on the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Transition Comes After Lukewarm Reception

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to the game's underwhelming initial reveal last fall.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a clearer direction.

The president noted that the developers is now reimagining the project with a renewed vision, aiming to better meet gamer demands.

Trend of Key Hires

The news mirrors a comparable action taken by 2K Games in the summer, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to assist with the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete content from the president's announcement:

Team—

I understand you all just finished your gathering - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to continue.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was enlightening. It validated the appeal of a action-packed game but told us we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a clearer brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You embraced the criticism to consideration and reimagined the title with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our audience.

The trust in this project increases every day. To further the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to welcome the new hire as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s management and experience in the competitive gaming space is vast, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most recognizable titles in gaming, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in welcoming him next week. We are all eager to persist observing the development of the game in the months to come.

David

Experience of the Incoming Head

Brinkman currently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. He earlier was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was revealed in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling evolution on the category."

"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 competition with new abilities, stakes, and challenges that shift every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Or take a risk, risk it all, and trust your squad can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an official debut schedule or consoles, but enthusiasts can expect more updates as production progresses.