MindsEye Developer Build A Rocket Boy May Be Closing Down

Build A Rocket Boy (BARB), known for its controversial action-adventure title MindsEye, is reportedly facing closure. Several employees took to LinkedIn to announce that their tenure at the studio is “coming to an end.” Additionally, Kotaku has reported that BARB is preparing to cease operations.

Dan Hawkins, BARB’s principal talent acquisition partner, expressed his sorrow in a LinkedIn post stating, “With a very heavy heart, I raise my green banner, along with the rest of my colleagues at Build a Rocket Boy. I am ‘Open to Work’ actively looking for a new adventure.” His message indicates that all employees are expected to be without jobs. “I will be seeing BARB through till the very end, helping wrap things up here in the HR department,” he added.

MindsEye had a rocky launch in June 2025, leading to PlayStation issuing refunds to some players due to the game’s numerous bugs and performance issues at release. Shortly after, a wave of layoffs struck the studio. BARB founder Leslie Benzies, who previously worked on the Grand Theft Auto franchise, attributed the game’s failures to “saboteurs” both within and outside the company.

This spring, the studio released an expansion for MindsEye that included a mission claiming to reveal evidence of a supposed conspiracy that hindered the game’s success. Rock Paper Shotgun criticized the content for lacking substantial details and likened it to a mundane iteration of a Hitman mission. the addition of multiplayer features and a soccer mode reminiscent of Rocket League this summer did not significantly improve the game’s reception.

In March, BARB became the exclusive publisher of MindsEye after ending its partnership with IOI Partners, which is affiliated with 007 First Light developer IO Interactive. The month also saw further layoffs, which continued into May.

Earlier this year, numerous employees raised concerns about workplace surveillance. The IWGB Game Workers Union reported that BARB’s management installed intrusive Teramind software on employees’ devices without their knowledge. This surveillance allegedly exceeded mere productivity monitoring, as it included recording individuals in their homes without consent.