MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy to lay off over 100 after disastrous launch
After one of 2025’s worst-reviewed debuts, the studio begins a UK-mandated consultation process.
Hopes were high for MindsEye, the sci-fi shooter from Leslie Benzies’s Build a Rocket Boy, but its launch was met with harsh criticism and technical woes. Now the studio is reportedly set to let go of over 100 employees as it confronts the fallout from its disappointing release.
What is MindsEye?
MindsEye is Build a Rocket Boy’s first full-scale title—a narrative-driven, third-person shooter built on the promise of a live-service “create your own content” toolkit. Backed by Benzies’s pedigree on Grand Theft Auto, it was meant to showcase the studio’s metaverse ambitions. Instead, it quickly earned a 38 on Metacritic, becoming one of the year’s lowest-rated games.
Why the launch backfired
Players and critics slammed MindsEye for rampant bugs, unpredictable AI, performance hitches and undercooked design. Despite striking visuals, fractured core systems like combat and driving simply couldn’t compensate for an empty world and tedious missions. Early Steam reviews averaged “mostly negative,” with concurrent player counts plummeting from thousands to mere hundreds within days of launch.
Layoff process kicks off
According to studio sources, Build a Rocket Boy has entered the formal 45-day redundancy consultation required under UK law when planning 100 or more job cuts within a 90-day period. While the exact number hasn’t been finalized, the process itself confirms the scale of the shakeup.
IGN estimates Build a Rocket Boy employs around 500 people worldwide, including roughly 300 in the U.K. Under the consultation rules, any intention to cut 100 or more positions triggers mandatory talks with staff—suggesting a significant portion of the team could be affected.
Response from Build a Rocket Boy
In a brief statement, the studio acknowledged “painful internal changes” and committed to “handling this process with transparency, fairness and respect.” They reaffirmed their dedication to fixing key issues in MindsEye via ongoing patches, while emphasizing the need to secure the studio’s long-term health and future projects.
What’s next for MindsEye and the studio
Build a Rocket Boy has already released a performance-focused update, but with a leaner workforce, delivering the promised multiplayer mode and content roadmap may face delays. The larger “Everywhere” platform ambitions now hinge on MindsEye’s recovery—and on whether the reshuffled team can stabilize the game and rebuild player trust.
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