The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Lead to Rescue Challenged Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has appointed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' lackluster early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that early feedback sessions had indicated the requirement for a more defined vision.

The president stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a refreshed approach, aiming to satisfy player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news mirrors a similar step taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the full message from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Previously I shared you all a update, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and creative designers we have had the opportunity to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that partnership to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a more distinct brand.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its potential to our audience.

The trust in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To boost the remarkable development you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce the new hire as the incoming Director of 31st Union. Following a period of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His management and expertise in the PVP shooter genre is considerable, having dedicated the recent years producing and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as the acclaimed shooter, and most recently, Apex Legends.

Let’s together in receiving him next week. We are all excited to persist witnessing the progress of the game in the time to ahead.

David

Background of the Incoming Leader

The appointee presently serves in the role of senior developer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Title Details and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a early access event. Initially, 31st Union portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person action-packed experience and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"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 game's pitch reads. "Face the opponents with unique powers, risks, and challenges that shift every match. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively aim high, put it on the line, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The decision is yours."

Project Ethos lacks an official debut schedule or platforms, but enthusiasts can anticipate more updates as creation progresses.