2K Brings Onboard Apex Legends Lead to Rescue Challenged Action Game Ambitious Title

2K Games has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to lead the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming over-the-shoulder roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Follows Lukewarm Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of previous head the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to the game's disappointing early showing last autumn.

On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had indicated the necessity for a distinct game identity.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining Project Ethos with a revised approach, aiming to better meet community desires.

Trend of Key Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable action taken by the publisher in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire content from the president's announcement:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the positive developments. Last time I shared you all a note, I stated the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented creators we have had the chance to partner with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

Through your commitment and flexibility, particularly over the past twelve months, you continue to prove that.

The player input from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a action-packed game but made clear we still had work to do. It highlighted the need for a clearer vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve come. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a revitalized vision - one that’s ready to achieve its ambition to our players.

The trust in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I am thrilled to announce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Lead of the team. After some time of conversations, Ben comes aboard us on next week.

His leadership and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having dedicated the last 15 years developing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, Apex Legends.

Please join me in receiving him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the progress of the game in the time to come.

David

Background of the New Leader

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in diverse development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Concept

The upcoming game was revealed in October 2024 alongside a early access event. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in real-time to suit your personal playstyle," the description states. "Take on the competition with new abilities, risks, and tests that evolve every session. Do you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively go big, put it on the line, and pray your team can secure victory? The option is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or consoles, but fans can expect additional details as creation continues.