MindsEye Maker Hit With Mass Layoffs Amid Player Refund Demands
▼ Summary
– Build A Rocket Boy is facing mass layoffs of over 100 employees after its game MindsEye became the worst-rated of 2025, with players seeking refunds due to performance issues.
– The UK-based studio, employing around 300 people locally and 200 abroad, is undergoing a mandatory 45-day consultation process before finalizing layoffs.
– MindsEye, a sci-fi shooter, was initially a side project for the larger metaverse-like platform Everywhere but became the focus as the latter stalled.
– The game received widespread criticism for poor gunplay, NPC behavior, and technical issues, leading to a “mostly negative” rating on Steam and refunds on PlayStation 5.
– Build A Rocket Boy confirmed the layoffs, emphasizing efforts to reassign roles and continue updates for MindsEye while pursuing long-term ambitions.
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio behind the troubled sci-fi shooter MindsEye, has initiated mass layoffs affecting over 100 employees as the game struggles with poor reviews and player refund demands. The company, founded by former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, is facing significant challenges following the disastrous launch of its ambitious title, which currently holds a “mostly negative” rating on Steam.
Reports indicate the layoffs will impact the studio’s UK office, where around 300 employees work. Under UK labor laws, companies proposing 100 or more job cuts within 90 days must undergo a 45-day consultation period before finalizing terminations. The exact number of affected staff remains unclear, but the move signals deep financial and operational troubles for the developer.
MindsEye was intended to showcase Build A Rocket Boy’s broader gaming platform, Everywhere, a metaverse-like project that has since stalled. Originally pitched as a side project, the game evolved into the studio’s primary focus, but its release was marred by technical issues, including poor performance on PC and consoles. Players criticized clunky gunplay, erratic AI behavior, and persistent bugs, leading Sony to grant refunds outside its usual policy.
The game’s struggles were compounded by a lack of early review copies, with some sponsored streams canceled abruptly as negative feedback spread online. Despite visually impressive cutscenes and an intriguing premise, a futuristic thriller set in a Las Vegas-inspired desert city, MindsEye failed to resonate with players, currently holding a dismal 38% positive rating on Steam.
In a statement to IGN, Build A Rocket Boy confirmed the layoffs, calling the decision “painful” but necessary to refocus on post-launch updates for MindsEye and long-term studio goals. The company’s CEO had previously dismissed criticism as coming from “paid bots,” while its chief legal and financial officers departed just before the game’s troubled launch.
With a third major patch expected by late June, the studio hopes to salvage the game’s reputation. However, the layoffs suggest deeper financial strain, raising questions about the future of both MindsEye and the larger Everywhere project. For now, the game remains available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam, but whether it can recover from its disastrous debut remains uncertain.
(Source: KOTAKU)
