2K Hires Apex Legends Producer to Rescue Struggling Hero Shooter Project Ethos

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from Respawn Entertainment to direct the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently working on the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as this innovative game.

Leadership Change Follows Mixed Feedback

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of previous head Michael Condrey, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' lackluster initial reveal last autumn.

Recently, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this strategic move through an internal memo, which emphasized that early feedback sessions had revealed the requirement for a more defined game identity.

The president noted that the developers is now refining Project Ethos with a renewed vision, aiming to satisfy community desires.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news follows a similar move taken by the publisher in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the full text from Ismailer's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just completed your gathering - I trust you’re as thrilled as I am with the good news. Previously I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I believe in this crew. You all are some of the most motivated and talented designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re eager for that partnership to endure.”

Given your hard work and versatility, particularly over the last year, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last fall’s the game demo was enlightening. It affirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the necessity for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve progressed. You embraced the criticism to heart and revamped the title with a renewed vision - one that’s ready to achieve its promise to our audience.

Our confidence in this project increases every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on Monday, October 20.

His leadership and expertise in the PVP shooter space is considerable, having devoted the last 15 years creating and leading some of the most well-known titles in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in greeting Ben in the coming days. We are all excited to keep witnessing the progress of Project ETHOS in the time to follow.

The President

Experience of the Incoming Leader

Brinkman currently holds the role of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for their flagship title. Brinkman previously worked at major gaming companies in diverse production roles on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at other industry leaders.

Title Information and Vision

The upcoming game was revealed in last year in conjunction with a public demo. Then, the developers presented the game as a "no-cost, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an thrilling advancement on the style."

"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in live gameplay to fit your unique tactics," the description states. "Face the competition with new abilities, risks, and challenges that evolve every round. Will you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively aim high, risk it all, and hope your group can secure victory? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed launch window or platforms, but fans can look forward to more updates as creation continues.

Joanne Lara
Joanne Lara

Maya is a seasoned gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering the UK gaming scene, specializing in indie game reviews and industry analysis.