According to an investigation by IGN, the Build a Rocket Boy studio is reportedly planning to lay off more than one hundred employees following the catastrophic launch of MindsEye.
Founded in 2016 by former Rockstar and GTA’s Leslie Benzies, Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) had ambitious projects starting with Everywhere, a platform for game construction and distribution. Although the proposal was not fully clarified for the public, it was attractive enough to investors who contributed over US$ 150 million to the venture.
Everywhere was set to revolutionize video games, at least according to Leslie Benzies’ vision, but its first product – the open-world game MindsEye – turned out to be a failure and now threatens the studio’s existence, forcing it to conduct its first round of mass layoffs, dismissing approximately 100 team members. The studio, founded in 2016 by former Rockstar and GTA producer Leslie Benzies, had ambitious projects starting with Everywhere, a platform for building and distributing games with an unclear proposition that did not resonate well with the public but attracted enough investors to pour over US$150 million into the venture.
IGN reports that Build a Rocket Boy had approximately 300 employees in the UK and about 200 internationally, announced IGN. The team is now awaiting news on whether they will be affected by planned layoffs. Additionally, there is uncertainty regarding Build a Rocket Boy’s ability to meet its post-launch commitments, including MindsEye’s multiplayer mode.
According to Spanish YouTuber Baitybait, there is a glimmer of hope for the studio. “They have a secret development project with a very powerful license, a huge business venture, and it hasn’t been announced yet,” the YouTuber says. “I can’t disclose what it is as they explicitly asked me not to reveal it, but it’s a well-known TV series. What if the key to resurrection lies in an open world game like The Sopranos?” he humorously speculates.
For those intrigued by Leslie Benzies’ ambitious vision for the gaming industry, be sure to check out “Everywhere: Leslie Benzies’ (ex-Rockstar Games) Fortnite Reveals Its Universe in Video” by Marcus Thompson, published on September 21, 2023. This insightful piece delves into the details of Everywhere, a groundbreaking project that aims to revolutionize game creation and distribution with its user-friendly ARCADIA tool. The article promises an engaging look at how Benzies envisions democratizing game development for everyone, from seasoned developers to casual creators. Dive deeper into this exciting initiative by visiting Everywhere: Leslie Benzies’ (ex-Rockstar Games) Fortnite Reveals Its Universe in Video.
