Build A Rocket Boy Employees Release Open Letter and Take Legal Action Against Studio

Key Takeaways

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The game Mindseye, developed by Build A Rocket Boy under Leslie Benzies, faced poor performance after its release, jeopardizing their planned massive MMO titled Everything.
Over 250 developers were laid off in a process described as rushed, opaque, and premature, with current and former employees alleging abusive working conditions, mismanagement, and illegal dismissals.
The UKs Independent Workers Union (IWGB) has filed a lawsuit against Build A Rocket Boy on behalf of its employees, demanding an apology from studio leadership, immediate exit options with pay for current staff, outsourcing of layoff decisions to external specialists, and official recognition as the workers representative.
Employees have collectively issued an open letter detailing grievances about severe fatigue, anxiety, and health problems due to overwork, as well as criticism towards Benzies for failing to provide adequate care and leadership.

Lawsuit Filed Against Build A Rocket Boy Over Alleged Unfair Dismissals and Abusive Work Conditions

Build A Rocket Boy, the studio founded by former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, faces significant challenges following the rocky launch of its game, Mindseye. After the game’s release last June via Io-Interactive’s new publishing label, over 250 developers were laid off. This project was intended to establish the foundation for Everything, a massive player-made content MMO, a plan Mindseye’s poor performance now jeopardizes. Current and former employees—more than 90 individuals—have since come forward, alleging abusive working conditions, mismanagement, and an “illegal” firing process. Developers described the layoffs as rushed, opaque, and premature. The UK’s Independent Workers’ Union (IWGB), through its Game Workers branch, has now filed a lawsuit on behalf of Build A Rocket Boy’s employees. The union asserts that the studio failed to obtain legal advice before the dismissals and that numerous cases of unfair dismissal exist.

Titled Union’s Call for Apology and Change at Build A Rocket Boy Amidst Alleged Mishandling and Poor Leadership

In a press release, the IWGB criticized a series of missteps, a complete lack of transparency, and the studio’s mishandling of the dismissals. The union’s demands include an apology from the studio’s leadership, an immediate exit option with pay for current staff, the outsourcing of future layoff decisions to external specialists, and official recognition of the IWGB as the workers’ representative. These claims are supported by former employees, such as ex-designer Ben Newbon, who stated, “Management’s arrogance, thinking they could do no wrong, pushed us to draw the line.” Isaac Hudd, a Mindseye sound engineer, highlighted a disconnect between stated values and daily reality: “Many talented devs felt used then dumped. All the talk of ‘we care’ didn’t match what we faced daily.” Beyond these formal actions, employees have collectively issued an open letter, detailing their grievances. While Leslie Benzies reportedly entertained theories of sabotage from former colleagues at Rockstar, internal accounts paint a different picture, suggesting profound internal issues. Workers have described experiencing severe fatigue, anxiety, and other health problems stemming from overwork. They have also directly criticized Benzies for failing to provide adequate care and leadership.

Challenges at Build A Rocket Boy: Employees Seek Fairness and Accountability

The ongoing dispute underscores the significant challenges at Build A Rocket Boy as employees seek fairness, transparency, and accountability amidst the studio’s operational difficulties.

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