Build a Rocket Boy’s Tumultuous Launch: Inside the MindsEye Disaster and Mass Layoffs
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A video game studio’s aspiring debut turned into a cautionary tale this summer, marked by a disastrous launch, accusations of mismanagement, and widespread job losses. Build a Rocket Boy (Barb), led by industry veteran Leslie Benzies, faced a swift and brutal reckoning after the release of its first title, MindsEye, in June 2025. The game was almost universally panned by critics and players alike, prompting a company-wide crisis and ultimately, the layoff of hundreds of employees.
From Grand Theft Auto to a Troubled Launch
Benzies,previously a key figure at Rockstar Games and instrumental in the success of the Grand Theft Auto franchise,founded Barb in 2016 following a legal dispute over royalties. By the end of 2024,the company had grown to 448 employees across offices in Edinburgh,Budapest,and Montpellier,attracting over £233 million in investment. Despite this significant funding, Barb operated at a loss, totaling £202.6 million between 2019 and 2023, according to filings with Companies House. The scale of these losses, and the subsequent redundancies, was met with disbelief.
Former staff describe a culture of micromanagement, characterized by what they termed “Leslie tickets” – directives from Benzies, ranging from minor cosmetic fixes to major mission changes, that took immediate priority over all other tasks. “It didn’t matter what else you where doing, what else was being worked on,” said Ben newbon, a former lead data analyst. “the leslie ticket had to be taken care of.” This practice,developers claim,fostered instability and hindered team ownership.
An open letter signed by 93 current and former Barb employees alleges that studio management made “radical changes” without consulting workers and “repeatedly refused to listen” to experienced staff.Margherita “Marg” Peloso, an associate producer, recounted instances where concerns were “laughed at” by superiors.
Crunch and a Failed Launch
The lead-up to MindsEye’s June 2025 launch was marked by a period of intense “crunch” – mandatory overtime – with many employees working an additional eight hours per week without pay. This pressure, notably acute within the quality assurance team, reportedly took a toll on staff well-being. “People are burning the candle at both ends and starting to think: ‘What’s the point?'” said former audio programmer Isaac hudd.
Barb did not provide advance copies of MindsEye to reviewers, a decision that backfired spectacularly. Upon release, players encountered significant performance issues and numerous bugs, including graphical glitches that quickly went viral.Twitch streamer CohhCarnage was even instructed to cancel a sponsored launch day stream due to the game’s problems.
Mass Layoffs and a Bleak Future
In the wake of the disastrous launch, Barb announced the layoff of between 250 and 300 employees, primarily based in Edinburgh. The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union’s Game Workers Branch is planning legal action against Barb, alleging “disastrous mishandling” of the redundancy process.
In a statement, Barb acknowledged the difficulties and expressed sadness over the layoffs, stating the company was “committed to learning and growing” from employee feedback. The company maintains its commitment to delivering MindsEye as originally envisioned and has released updates to address initial issues.
Though, former employees remain skeptical. They express doubt that MindsEye can be salvaged and are pessimistic about their future prospects in an industry already facing widespread job losses.”It’s really sad to see what could have been an amazing prospect for the industry up here wasted,” Newbon lamented. Despite the turmoil, some former staff emphasize the talent within the team, hoping that lessons will be learned and that their colleagues will find success elsewhere. “We all know each other, and we certainly know how much we’re worth,” Peloso said. “We need to stand together.”
