MindsEye Developer: Build A Rocket Boy Lays Off Staff Again

The series of bad news continues for MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy: According to multiple consistent reports, affected employees confirmed another wave of layoffs on LinkedIn on September 16, 2026. This marks the fourth round of cuts at the Scottish studio since the debut of its only game to date.

Why is Build A Rocket Boy Laying Off Staff Again?

According to reports from PC Gamer and other publications, an HR representative for the studio reportedly told remaining employees that they would be supported “until the very end” and assisted with “winding things down.” Multiple independent sources interpret this phrasing as a clear sign of a complete studio closure, even though Build A Rocket Boy itself has not yet released an official confirmation.

What Went Wrong with MindsEye?

Build A Rocket Boy was founded by Leslie Benzies, who was previously instrumental as a producer on several Grand Theft Auto titles at Rockstar North. Backed by approximately $110 million in investor funds, the action-adventure MindsEye was released in June 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC – and became one of the worst-reviewed games of 2025. Technical issues, performance drops, and lacklustre content led to “Mostly Negative” user reviews on Steam. The first mass layoffs, affecting around 300 positions, followed as early as July 2025, with further rounds of cuts in March and May 2026, which reportedly reduced the workforce to only about 80 people. The current wave is likely to significantly reduce that number even further.

From our perspective, the MindsEye case is an exemplary illustration of how dangerous a rushed launch, even with a prominent name backing it, can be: Even a studio with Rockstar pedigree and a nine-figure budget couldn't save a technically unfinished game from failure. For the affected developers, who have repeatedly been hit by rounds of cuts, this is particularly bitter.