Build A Rocket Boy files for administration after new layoffs

What happened

According to Eurogamer, Build A Rocket Boy has filed for administration with the UK’s Companies House. The publication links the move to recent reports of additional layoffs at the studio, but does not give a date for the filing or an exact number of affected employees. As a result, it remains unclear whether the filing is directly tied to the latest round of layoffs or to broader financial issues within the company.

Build A Rocket Boy was founded in 2016 by Leslie Benzies. The studio’s first announced project was Everywhere, which was revealed in 2022. MindsEye originally began as part of Everywhere, but later grew into a standalone AAA game. Eurogamer describes that shift as a move from one component within a larger project to an independent release with its own positioning.

MindsEye launched in June 2025 and was reportedly poorly received by critics and players, according to Eurogamer. Studio CEO and CTO Mark Gerhard later called the launch “without doubt, the worst launch in history” and said the problems were the result of “organised espionage and corporate sabotage”. He also later claimed that people “deliberately tried to shape a negative narrative around the product”. Eurogamer cites those remarks as Gerhard’s explanations, but provides no independent evidence for the allegations.

The administration filing therefore comes after a period in which the studio was already under pressure from MindsEye’s reception and from new layoff reports. Based on the available information, it is not confirmed how many employees were affected in the latest round, nor what specific business decision or financial event triggered the filing. It is also unclear whether Build A Rocket Boy has publicly responded beyond the Eurogamer report.

Background

Administration is a formal insolvency procedure in the UK. Based on the available information, the filing appears to coincide with new layoff reports, but the direct financial or operational trigger is not known. It is also not confirmed how many staff were affected in the most recent round.

The studio is best known for its connection to Leslie Benzies, who founded Build A Rocket Boy in 2016. The company initially focused on Everywhere, announced in 2022. That project later formed the basis for MindsEye, which was eventually released as a standalone game. Eurogamer specifically notes that MindsEye launched in June 2025 and was poorly received, providing the context for the current reporting on the studio.

Mark Gerhard’s comments are relevant because he pointed to both the launch quality and outside factors. He called the release “without doubt, the worst launch in history” and referred to “organised espionage and corporate sabotage”. He later said that people “deliberately tried to shape a negative narrative around the product”. Based on the available facts, those claims have not been independently substantiated, and there is no additional information about an official investigation or a public response from parties outside the studio.

The core of the story therefore remains limited to three confirmed elements: a reported administration filing with Companies House, recent layoff reports at Build A Rocket Boy, and MindsEye’s difficult reception after its June 2025 release. What the filing means for the company’s operations, staffing levels, and ongoing support for MindsEye is not detailed in the information provided.

Sources

Eurogamer reported that Build A Rocket Boy has filed for administration with Companies House and linked the move to recent layoffs and MindsEye’s difficult reception.