Key Takeaways
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- Build a Rocket Boy studio has announced additional layoffs, following a previous reduction of around 300 employees in 2025, due to the troubled release of their game Mindseye.
- CEO Mark Gerhard claims that corporate espionage and sabotage, as well as an alleged smear campaign by a major American company, contributed to Mindseyes poor performance. Legal proceedings are pending against those deemed responsible for the games unsuccessful launch.
- Critics have challenged these claims, with former employee Chad McNeil labeling them as delusional. Internal issues such as excessive crunch periods, poor resource management, and creative direction problems under Leslie Benzies are also suggested as potential contributors to Mindseyes failure.
- The studio is planning legal action, continues to update Mindseye, and is reportedly exploring AI technologies for future projects, despite the ongoing impact of the troubled launch on the companys long-term sustainability.
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Build a Rocket Boy studio has announced further layoffs, following a previous reduction of around 300 employees in 2025. This decision comes after Mindseye’s troubled release, with CEO Mark Gerhard citing the need to reduce workforce once again, given the studio’s difficult situation. Gerhard’s statement, posted on Build a Rocket Boy’s LinkedIn page, echoed founder Leslie Benzies’s earlier claims that criminal activity—including corporate espionage and sabotage—contributed to the game’s poor performance. According to Gerhard, investigations involving external partners and legal advisors revealed “overwhelming evidence of an organized corporate espionage and sabotage operation.” He added that legal proceedings are pending, so further details cannot be disclosed. The studio is reportedly planning legal action against those deemed responsible for Mindseye’s unsuccessful launch. Critics have challenged these claims. Chad McNeil, a former brand director at Build a Rocket Boy, responded to the LinkedIn post with “Delusional.” Gerhard also alleges that a major American company is funding a smear campaign against Mindseye through the British agency Ritual Network. This campaign, allegedly worth over a million euros, involves offering money to influencers, journalists, and Build A Rocket Boy employees to discredit the game. Ritual Network has publicly denied these accusations.
Allegations of Mismanagement and Brutal Layoffs at Build A Rocket Boy Amid Mindseye’s Failure
In contrast, former employees suggest internal issues, such as excessive crunch periods, poor resource management, and creative direction problems under Leslie Benzies, may have contributed to the game’s failure. Mindseye’s release in June 2025 was marred by technical issues and performance flaws. Videos showcasing bugs and instability circulated online, leading Sony to issue refunds for PlayStation 5 players—a rare step previously taken only in extreme cases like Cyberpunk 2077. The game received a Metacritic score of 38 on PC and 28 on PlayStation 5, becoming the lowest-rated game of 2025 on that platform. In October 2025, the Independent Workers of Great Britain union accused Build A Rocket Boy of mismanaging layoffs and forcing employees to work excessive overtime. Despite these challenges, the studio continued to update Mindseye and provide player support. However, the ongoing impact of the troubled launch led to what Gerhard called the “brutal and painful decision” to further reduce the team size, ensuring the company’s long-term sustainability and future projects. Build A Rocket Boy is also reportedly exploring AI technologies.
In Case You Missed It
In our recent gaming and tech discussions, we’ve been keeping tabs on industry shifts and player preferences. Carlos Mendoza recently shared his insights into Build A Rocket Boy Studio’s strategic move to offer Mindseye for free, aiming to redeem its troubled launch earlier this year (“Year’s Flop, Mindseye Gets Free Version”, December 1st). Meanwhile, Ahmed Hassan explored the bigger picture of cybersecurity incidents in his deep dive on Cloudflare’s recent issues and their impact on popular online platforms (“Part of the Internet Stops Working”, November 18th). Staying with Ahmed’s latest work, he took us on a nostalgia trip in “GTA Online: Michael Returns, Looking His Age (Wrinkles and Salt-and-Pepper Hair)”, published yesterday. Here, you’ll find an exciting sneak peek into the upcoming ‘A Hideout at the Top’ update, including Michael’s returning charm with some well-earned wrinkles and gray hair, luxurious real estate, new vehicles, and more – all awaiting us on December 10th.
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