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MindsEye despedaza 300 puestos; exjefe de GTA Benzies se dirige a empleados

by Zachary Apr 02,2026

The situation at Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) — the UK-based studio behind MindsEye — has taken a dramatic turn following the game’s disastrous launch, casting a long shadow over the future of the company and its 300+ UK employees.

Key Developments:

🔴 Mass Layoff Notices Issued

  • Approximately 300 UK staff have received redundancy notices, triggering a mandatory 45-day consultation period under UK law (required for 100+ layoffs in 90 days).
  • The same warning signs have reportedly been sent to PlayFusion, a studio acquired by BARB in late 2024, suggesting broader restructuring across the organization.
  • PlayFusion, led by former co-CEO Mark Gerhard (now co-CEO of BARB), is developing Ascendant, a fast-paced FPS originally slated for 2024 release — now potentially at risk amid the turmoil.

📉 MindsEye’s Launch Was a Commercial and Critical Failure

  • MindsEye, a story-driven action-adventure game, launched with extreme technical issues, including:
    • Severe performance drops
    • Glitches and bugs
    • Unpredictable AI behavior
  • Steam stats paint a bleak picture:
    • Peak concurrent players: 3,302 at launch
    • 24-hour low: 46 players
    • Current player count: 26 (as of latest data)
    • User review rating: "Mostly Negative" (based on Steam's algorithm)
  • Players have successfully obtained refunds from Sony, a rare occurrence given Sony’s strict refund policies.

🔄 Post-Launch Response: Promises vs. Reality

  • BARB has released three post-launch updates (including one for consoles), claiming to have analyzed "hundreds of hours of gameplay" and player feedback.
  • Despite these efforts, the game remains far from playable for many, with core features like the promised multiplayer mode still delayed or unconfirmed.
  • The studio has canceled all sponsored streams, a sign of desperation and a retreat from marketing momentum.

💬 Internal Leadership Drama and Conspiracy Theories

  • Leslie Benzies, former Grand Theft Auto design lead and founder of Everywhere (the original vision for MindsEye as a "Roblox for adults"), addressed staff via a brief video call on July 2.
    • He claimed the company would "recover and relaunch" MindsEye.
    • Blamed failures on "internal and external saboteurs", implying sabotage via fake reviews, paid takedowns, and spam bots.
  • Mark Gerhard, co-CEO, previously made similar claims, stating there was a "concerted effort" to "trash the game and the studio."
    • These allegations were denied by IO Interactive’s head, who dismissed them as baseless and damaging to industry trust.

🏢 The Bigger Picture: A Fractured Vision

  • MindsEye was once envisioned as a next-gen adult creation platform, but BARB pivoted to a single-title focus.
  • The game failed to live up to expectations, and the company now faces existential questions:
    • Can MindsEye be salvaged?
    • Is the team still capable of delivering on its roadmap?
    • Can BARB survive without major investment or a turnaround?

🤔 Employee Morale and Uncertainty

  • With 45-day consultations underway, employees are in limbo, fearful of job loss despite having poured years into the project.
  • While there’s internal hope for redemption — a "comeback story" — skepticism is growing.
  • Many now question whether leadership’s blame-shifting narratives (e.g., "spammers destroyed us") are deflecting from deeper issues: poor development management, overambitious scope, and an unproven business model.

Final Assessment:

MindsEye’s failure isn’t just a game launch gone wrong — it’s a full-scale studio crisis.

  • Technical and design flaws were real and severe.
  • Leadership’s response — blaming external actors, canceling marketing, and firing staff — risks deepening the trust gap with players and employees alike.
  • The industry is watching: This case could become a textbook example of how not to launch a high-stakes, unproven IP in a crowded market.

For now, the fate of Build A Rocket Boy hangs in the balance. The studio may yet restructure, rebuild, and deliver on promises. But without transparency, reliable updates, and a return to player trust, a recovery seems increasingly unlikely.

One thing is certain: the dream of a "Roblox for adults" is not dead — but it may not be MindsEye that brings it to life.

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