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MindsEye licencie 300 salariés ; l'ancien patron de GTA Benzies s'adresse aux employés

by Zachary Apr 02,2026

The situation at Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) — the UK-based studio behind the much-hyped, story-driven action-adventure game MindsEye — has taken a dramatic turn following a disastrous launch and mounting internal turmoil. With approximately 300 UK employees now facing potential job losses, and a 45-day redundancy consultation process underway under UK law, the future of the studio hangs in the balance.

Key Developments in Summary:

1. Mass Layoff Notices Issued

Build A Rocket Boy has sent redundancy notices to around 300 UK staff, with additional concerns for roughly 200 international employees.
The process was triggered after MindsEye’s underwhelming launch, which failed to meet commercial or critical expectations.
A similar redundancy process was initiated at PlayFusion, acquired by BARB in late 2024, signaling broader restructuring across the newly consolidated entity.

2. MindsEye’s Troubled Launch

MindsEye, initially envisioned as a flagship project for Everywhere — a bold adult-oriented creative platform led by Leslie Benzies (former creative director of Grand Theft Auto) — was pivoted into a standalone title.
Despite a high-profile reveal and strong marketing, the game launched with severe technical flaws, including:
- Poor performance and frame-rate drops
- Glitches and bugs
- Unpredictable AI behavior
- A subpar narrative experience for many players

3. Player Reception & Player Count Collapse

Launch peak on Steam: 3,302 concurrent players
24-hour low: Just 46 players
As of now, only 26 players are active on Steam
The game holds a "mostly negative" review rating — a sharp contrast to the studio's ambitious promises

4. Publisher and Developer Denials vs. Internal Panic

BARB’s statement confirmed the layoffs were necessary to "focus on delivering ongoing updates and performance optimization" for MindsEye, while protecting the long-term viability of future projects.
Leslie Benzies addressed staff via a brief video call on July 2, vowing to "recover and relaunch" MindsEye. He cited internal and external sabotage, including "saboteurs" and "spam bots" driving negative sentiment.
Mark Gerhard, co-CEO and former PlayFusion head, previously claimed there was a "concerted effort" to "trash the game and the studio," suggesting paid critics and bot campaigns.
IO Interactive’s CEO, who oversees Hitman, denied any involvement in such tactics — calling the claims baseless and damaging.

5. Post-Launch Efforts: Patches, Promises, and Distrust

BARB has released three post-launch updates for consoles, with a PC version pending.
The studio claims to have analyzed "hundreds of hours" of gameplay and player feedback to prioritize fixes.
The promised multiplayer mode — a major pillar of the game’s long-term vision — remains unannounced and unconfirmed, fueling uncertainty among both players and staff.

6. Cultural and Financial Fallout

BARB cancelled all sponsored streams, a move that signaled a retreat from community engagement.
Sony, known for strict refund policies, reportedly began issuing player refunds — a rare and telling sign of player dissatisfaction.
The game’s failure has cast a long shadow over the $150M+ funding and high-profile talent behind the project, including Benzies’ reputation and the studio’s ambitious "Roblox for adults" premise.

The Bigger Picture: Can BARB Recover?

There is internal hope among some staff that MindsEye can be salvaged — that a series of high-impact patches, a relaunch, and a renewed community push could turn things around.

But with:

Dwindling player numbers
Mass layoffs
Leadership blaming external forces instead of product flaws
No evidence of a comeback strategy beyond patches

...the road to redemption seems steep.

For now, employees wait anxiously — many still uncertain whether they’ll keep their jobs, or whether the studio will survive long enough to deliver on its promises.

Final Thoughts

MindsEye was meant to be a revolutionary step in adult-focused, player-driven gaming. Instead, it's become a cautionary tale of overpromising, underdelivering, and the high cost of ambition in a hyper-competitive market.

As BARB scrambles to stabilize, the gaming world watches:
Will this be a comeback story — or a corporate collapse in slow motion?

Only time — and the next patch — will tell.

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