The Gaming Giant Hires Apex Legends Producer to Boost Troubled Hero Shooter Ambitious Title

The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to direct the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Mixed Response

Brinkman assumes the leadership position at 31st Union following the dismissal of former leader the ex-Sledgehammer Games executive, who was reportedly let go due to Project Ethos' underwhelming unveiling last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated employees about this decision through an official communication, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had revealed the need for a distinct game identity.

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

Trend of Strategic Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to work on the BioShock studio Cloud Chamber.

Here is the complete message from the president'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 sent you all a update, I stated the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most dedicated and creative creators we have had the pleasure to work with - and we’re eager for that collaboration to endure.”

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

The gamer responses from last fall’s Project ETHOS testing phase was revealing. It affirmed the appeal of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It highlighted the need for a sharper vision.

It has been motivating to see how far you’ve advanced. You took the feedback to consideration and overhauled the title with a renewed goal - one that’s poised to fulfill its ambition to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To further the remarkable advancement you’ve made, I am thrilled to introduce Ben Brinkman as the latest Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of discussions, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and background in the PVP shooter genre is extensive, having spent the last 15 years producing and overseeing some of the most recognizable series in the industry, including Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to keep observing the evolution of the game in the weeks to ahead.

The President

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently holds the role of executive producer and head of production at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in various production roles on the Call of Duty games, and, before that, had periods at other industry leaders.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a early access event. At the time, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement 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 states. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and obstacles that change every session. Do you leave securely with your hard-earned loot? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and pray your squad can earn top ranking? The choice is yours."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can expect more updates as development progresses.