MindsEye Developer Build a Rocket Boy Shuts Down

Build a Rocket Boy, the independent studio founded by former Rockstar Games executive Leslie Benzies, has ceased operations after laying off all remaining staff members. The shutdown was confirmed through social media posts from the company's human resources leadership and corroborated by sources familiar with the studio's situation.

A Principal Talent Acquisition Partner at the company announced their departure on LinkedIn, noting they would remain briefly to "wrap things up" in the HR department before the studio's final closure. The complete workforce reduction marks the end of the developer behind MindsEye, an action game that launched in 2025 to significant commercial disappointment.

The studio had expanded to approximately 500 employees across offices in Edinburgh, Budapest, and Montpellier, positioning itself as a potential competitor to the Grand Theft Auto franchise. However, the game's launch was plagued by severe technical and gameplay issues that contributed to its poor market performance. The company had already implemented multiple rounds of layoffs since the release, with this final action eliminating all remaining positions.

Build a Rocket Boy was established after Benzies' departure from Rockstar Games. The studio initially secured $110 million in venture funding for an ambitious user-generated content project called "Everywhere" before pivoting to develop MindsEye. Throughout the game's troubled reception, studio leadership attributed the failure to external factors including alleged corporate sabotage and criminal activity. However, internal reports and statements from developers painted a different picture, suggesting widespread mismanagement contributed significantly to the project's collapse.