2 weeks after the release of MindsEye, studio Build A Rocket Boy has confirmed that they are laying off staff.
As reported by IGN, Build A Rocket Boy provided this official statement:
We can confirm that we have had to make the painful decision to notify our hardworking team of some internal changes at Build A Rocket Boy. While we are working to reassign roles for as many of those impacted by these changes as possible, sadly we are initiating a formal consultation process that may result in redundancies. This decision has not been made lightly, and we are committed to handling this process with transparency, fairness, and respect for all employees. We will provide further details to the team over the coming weeks.
The launch of MindsEye has been a significant milestone for Build A Rocket Boy, but we know that we still have a lot more to do to grow our community in the coming years. The challenges we’ve faced have only strengthened our resolve and, while we are deeply saddened by today’s decision and thankful to our incredible team, this shift allows us to focus on delivering ongoing updates and performance optimization for MindsEye, while also ensuring the long-term success of Build A Rocket Boy’s future ambitions.
Prior to their official confirmation, IGN verified that the company started their 45 day consultation process on June 23. Because Build A Rocket Boy is incorporated in the UK, the law requires they start this process if they will have redundancies of 100 or more employees within a 90 day period. Build A Rocket Boy has 300 employees in the UK, and 200 more outside the country.
As we reported last week, MindsEye earned the dubious distinction of becoming the worst reviewed game of the year. As of this writing, its MetaCritic scores have sunk even further, earning a MetaScore of 38 on PC and 28 on PlayStation 5. Its OpenCritic rating remains Weak, with no a 34 Top Critic Average and still having no critics recommending it.
We also reported on a Glassdoor review from an anonymous employee claiming that MindsEye cost half a billion to produce. It also alleged that management, led by Leslie Benzies, were comprised of Benzies friends and family and were not accountable for poor performance.
These allegations have yet to be confirmed, or for that matter, debunked. But it seems that the dam on everything that happened behind the scenes is about to break.
