MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy lays off employees
Intelligence Summary
- Build A Rocket Boy lays off 170 of 250 staff after MindsEye’s poor reception. Read more about the situation.
MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy lays off 170 employees
Build A Rocket Boy, the developer behind the much-discussed game MindsEye, has recently undergone a major restructuring. In this latest round of layoffs, around 170 of the company’s 250 employees are reportedly being let go, leaving the studio with roughly 80 staff members.
Development and expected launch of MindsEye
Build A Rocket Boy was founded in 2016 by Leslie Benzies, a former Rockstar Games executive. Benzies’ reputation, especially for his work on the Grand Theft Auto series, helped fuel high expectations for MindsEye’s 2025 release. Unfortunately, the game went on to become one of the worst-reviewed titles of the year.
Reaction to the negative reception
Following the disappointing reviews for MindsEye, Mark Gerhard, co-CEO of Build A Rocket Boy, accused sabotage and corporate espionage of contributing to the game’s poor reception. He claimed that a deliberate campaign to undermine MindsEye, combined with leaks of confidential information, helped shape the negative perception of the game.
Employee response and legal action
Over the past few months, concerns have also been raised about working conditions at Build A Rocket Boy. The IWGB Game Workers Union has taken legal action against the company, alleging that it installed monitoring software on employees’ devices without their knowledge. In addition, developers have written open letters calling for greater transparency and pushing back against the “unbearable” workload.
Timeline
2026-05-05: Build A Rocket Boy reports layoffs of 170 out of 250 employees.
2025: MindsEye is released and becomes one of the worst-reviewed games of the year.
2016: Build A Rocket Boy is founded by Leslie Benzies.
The ongoing issues at Build A Rocket Boy and the fallout from MindsEye’s release continue to draw attention from both the industry and the public. Workload concerns and recent staff changes may continue in the months ahead as the company tries to rebuild its reputation and stabilize future projects.
