Build A Rocket Boy lijkt permanent af te bouwen na nieuwe ontslagronde
In brief
- Kotaku reported on September 16, 2026 that Build A Rocket Boy may be winding down permanently after a new round of layoffs.
- The report mentions multiple layoff rounds and several employees confirming their departures on LinkedIn.
- There is no official public confirmation from the studio in the source provided that a final shutdown has been announced.
What happened
Kotaku wrote on September 16, 2026 that Build A Rocket Boy appears to be winding down after a new round of layoffs. The studio, best known as the maker of MindsEye, is said in the article to no longer be continuing in its current form, but the source notes that no formal public statement from the company is included to confirm a shutdown.
The report places the situation in the context of a broader series of staffing problems. Kotaku refers to multiple layoff rounds at Build A Rocket Boy and also mentions earlier allegations about crunch and employee monitoring. In the information provided here, those remain allegations; no independent confirmation of those claims is included.
Kotaku also points to several LinkedIn posts from employees saying their time at the studio is ending. Those named include Liam Shannon, Elizabet Tyaneva, Michaela Emslie, and Cameron Deaves. In addition, Dan Hawkins, described by Kotaku as a principal talent acquisition partner at Build A Rocket Boy, reportedly wrote that he and his colleagues would help BARB “until the end” while the studio is being permanently wound down.
The available information does not make clear how many employees are affected by the latest layoff round. It also remains unclear whether the wind-down has already been fully completed in legal and operational terms, or whether a reduced continuation is still possible.
Timeline
September 16, 2026: Kotaku publishes a report stating that Build A Rocket Boy may be permanently winding down after a new round of layoffs.
September 16, 2026: The article cites several LinkedIn posts from employees, including Liam Shannon, Elizabet Tyaneva, Michaela Emslie, and Cameron Deaves.
September 16, 2026: Kotaku quotes a LinkedIn post from Dan Hawkins, who says he and his colleagues will help Build A Rocket Boy “until the end” as the studio is wound down.
September 16, 2026: Kotaku frames the situation alongside earlier layoff rounds and earlier allegations about crunch and employee monitoring.
September 16, 2026: The source provided does not include an official public confirmation from Build A Rocket Boy about a definitive closure.
Background
Build A Rocket Boy is the studio behind MindsEye and was founded by Leslie Benzies. Kotaku identifies the studio in the source as owned by Leslie Benzies and Mark Gerhard. The provided context also mentions Lewis Parker and the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain as names or parties involved in the reporting.
The core of the current reporting is that the studio is “seemingly” being wound down, based on layoffs and public departure notices from employees. Because there is no formal company statement, the status of Build A Rocket Boy remains dependent on further confirmation from the company itself.
For MindsEye, this means the future of the studio and any support or updates is not detailed in the provided information. No concrete details are included about ongoing projects, the size of the latest layoff round, or a response from a publisher or other involved parties.