The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Developer to Boost Struggling Action Game Ambitious Title

2K Games has secured a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee assumes the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster unveiling last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive David Ismailer informed team members about this decision through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the necessity for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now refining Project Ethos with a refreshed focus, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement echoes a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock development group.

Here is the entire text from Ismailer's communication:

Hello Everyone—

I understand you all just finished your meeting - I hope you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most driven and innovative developers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that partnership to endure.”

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

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the appeal of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the requirement for a sharper vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the feedback to consideration and revamped the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to achieve its ambition to our audience.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the remarkable development you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Studio Head of the team. Following a period of discussions, he starts with us on Monday, October 20.

His guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming space is considerable, having dedicated the last 15 years creating and managing some of the most well-known titles in the industry, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and lately, Apex Legends.

Please join me in greeting him in the coming days. We are all eager to keep observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to come.

David

Background of the New Head

Brinkman currently holds the role of senior developer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty games, and, prior to that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

Project Ethos was announced in October 2024 alongside a public demo. Then, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an innovative advancement on the genre."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the rivals with new abilities, risks, and obstacles that shift every session. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, risk it all, and trust your group can earn top ranking? The option is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed release date or consoles, but fans can anticipate additional details as creation advances.