Build A Rocket Boy Faces Uncertainty Amid New Layoffs
- Build A Rocket Boy has announced another round of layoffs, affecting multiple key positions.
- In May, the studio laid off around 170 employees, raising concerns about its future.
- Sources suggest the company may be shutting down, with its game MindsEye failing to recover from a troubled launch.
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio behind MindsEye and founded by former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, is reportedly undergoing another wave of layoffs, which raises concerns about its future viability. Recent reports from IGN indicate that multiple employees, including head of audio Stuart Ross, level designer Liam Shannon, release manager Michaela Emslie, lead QA analyst Sandy Greig, QA analyst Elizabet Tyaneva, and production QA analyst Cameron Deaves, have been let go.
This latest round of layoffs follows a series of job cuts at Build A Rocket Boy after the tumultuous launch of MindsEye, which has faced significant criticism. Last year, the studio made an unspecified number of redundancies, and in May, approximately 170 employees were laid off. In response, remaining staff protested the company’s “all expenses paid” fan event earlier this summer.
The recent layoffs have sparked speculation regarding the studio’s future, with Kotaku reporting that sources close to the studio claim it is on the verge of permanent closure. Adding to the uncertainty, principal talent acquisition officer Dan Hawkins stated in a LinkedIn post that he and his colleagues are seeking new employment, mentioning, “I am now seeing BARB through till the very end, helping wrap things up here in the HR department.”
The game MindsEye itself has struggled since its initial release. Originally intended to be part of “Everything,” a platform for user-generated content similar to Roblox, the project’s scope was substantially reduced. A one-star review from Eurogamer criticized MindsEye for its “ridiculous story, inconsistent writing, poorly designed mission scenarios, and utterly atrocious combat,” further compounded by a variety of technical issues. Despite these challenges, studio executives have claimed that MindsEye suffered from the actions of unnamed saboteurs.
Build A Rocket Boy has been approached for comment, and updates will be provided should any information be received.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
