MindsEye Studio Build A Rocket Boy Announces Additional Layoffs

Build A Rocket Boy, the Scotland-based development studio behind last year's disastrous action-adventure game. Mind IThe company has once again announced additional layoffs. This is a new post. Mind I The studio's CEO Marc Gerhard said further staff cuts had been made at Build A Rocket Boy, calling it a “very painful decision” and claiming there was overwhelming evidence of organized espionage and corporate sabotage.

With former Rockstar Games President Leslie Benzies at the helm, fans were excited. Mind I To become an iconic competitor grand theft auto series. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out that way. The studio's first title quickly received negative reviews from players and critics alike. Mind I It also became the worst-reviewed game of 2025, according to Metacritic. Recent Steam reviews for the title are currently “generally positive,” but that's only possible due to continued support from the rest of Build A Rocket Boy's staff. Mind I It was criticized at launch for its empty world, lackluster story, and constant bugs and performance issues.

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Build A Rocket Boy Announces Additional Layoffs

Following the disastrous launch of Build A Rocket Boy, layoffs were announced by the studio, which came just a few days later. Mind IReleased for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Now, almost a year later, the studio has put out a new post on LinkedIn announcing more job cuts. “Over the past few years, the gaming industry has experienced one of the most difficult times in its history. Many talented developers around the world have been affected by layoffs and restructuring. Unfortunately, today we must share that Build A Rocket Boy is not immune to those pressures,” said CEO Mark Gerhard.

The statement went on to say that Build A Rocket Boy had announced further staff cuts and acknowledged this was a “very painful decision.” Before blaming, Gerhard acknowledges the impact this will have on those affected. Mind IFactors beyond the studio's control resulted in its release. The CEO said the studio has been working with external partners and legal counsel over the past several months to investigate apparent criminal activity that occurred in connection with the launch of the first title. According to Gerhard, these findings now bring “overwhelming evidence that organized espionage and corporate sabotage impact corporations.” Mind I.” No further explanation was provided as the CEO said the matter was at the stage of prosecution, so full details cannot be released yet.

In October 2025, approximately 100 current and former employees issued a joint letter Mind I studio. An open letter released by Britain's Independent Workers' Union accused the studio of mishandling layoffs and claimed Build A Rocket Boy had forced its employees to work for four months and required all developers to work an extra eight hours of overtime per week. The letter did not threaten legal action against Build a Rocket Boy, but contained a series of demands, including a public apology for employee abuse, adequate compensation for those affected by layoffs, and meaningful efforts to improve working conditions.

Despite the challenges that continue to come in the way of Build A Rocket Boy, those remaining at the studio appear committed to improvement. Mind I With continuous updates. Last month, the studio announced a “new phase of development” for the title after parting ways with publisher IO Interactive. Update 7 was then released on all supported platforms, giving us a brand refresh and taking overall improvements to the next level. According to the update's official patch notes, the focus is on smoothing out the campaign flow, making objectives easier to follow, and continuously improving AI behavior. There's no word on whether today's layoffs will affect future updates. Mind I.