Build A Rocket Boy has announced a redundancy process to employees after the problematic launch of MindsEye. Studio sources indicate the layoffs may impact over 100 workers, according to IGN.
An anonymous source, protecting their professional standing, told IGN the exact number of affected staff remains unclear, but a 45-day consultation period, mandated by UK law for 100 or more proposed redundancies within 90 days, began on June 23. IGN reports Build A Rocket Boy employs approximately 300 UK staff and 200 overseas.
IGN has reached out to Build A Rocket Boy for a statement.
Employees now face uncertainty over their job security. Meanwhile, doubts persist about Build A Rocket Boy’s ability to deliver its planned post-launch content, including the anticipated multiplayer mode, on schedule.
Last week, Build A Rocket Boy expressed devastation over player-reported issues with the newly released game, committing to a series of updates to address severe performance issues, glitches, and AI problems. These updates are now being deployed.
MindsEye’s troubled debut prompted the cancellation of sponsored streams and reports of players successfully obtaining refunds, even from Sony, which is typically stringent.
On Steam, which offers a partial view of MindsEye’s performance, the game reached a peak of 3,302 concurrent players at launch but dropped to a 24-hour peak of 130 players. At the time of this report, 52 players were active on Steam, with the game receiving a ‘mostly negative’ user review rating.
MindsEye was originally part of Everywhere, a ‘Roblox for adults’ platform spearheaded by former Grand Theft Auto design lead Leslie Benzies. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Build A Rocket Boy shifted its focus to MindsEye, a narrative-driven action-adventure title, but it has yet to achieve commercial success.
In an internal email seen by IGN, co-CEO Mark Gerhard reaffirmed the studio’s dedication to MindsEye, emphasizing a transition from an intense development phase to sustainable post-launch support.
Before the launch, Gerhard made headlines by alleging a “concerted effort” to undermine the game and studio, claiming some were paid or used spam bots to post negative feedback. The head of IO Interactive, publisher of the Hitman series, later refuted these claims.
