The situation at Build a Rocket Boy, the developer behind MindsEye, may have reached its most critical point since the game’s launch. New layoffs are taking place at the studio, and reports published this Wednesday (16) indicate that the company may be preparing to shut down its operations, just over a year after releasing its flagship project.
What’s Happening With Build a Rocket Boy
The first signs emerged as employees began looking for new job opportunities. Dan Hawkins, who oversees HR operations and talent acquisition at Build a Rocket Boy, announced on LinkedIn that he is looking for work after nearly five years at the company. In his post, he said he would remain at the studio until “the end,” helping wrap up the human resources department’s operations.
Hawkins also recalled joining the company when it had around 200 employees and being part of the expansion process that grew Build a Rocket Boy to approximately 550 employees. His message drew particular attention because it comes alongside a new round of layoffs and suggests that the current process is broader than the cuts carried out previously.
Reports regarding the company’s ultimate fate, however, remain conflicting. Sources speaking to Kotaku claim that Build a Rocket Boy will indeed shut down. Meanwhile, a source consulted by IGN indicated that even if all remaining employees are laid off, the company could continue to exist as a legal entity. For now, therefore, a definitive closure has not been officially announced.
The crisis deepened following the launch of MindsEye in June 2025. The game arrived plagued by technical issues and received some of the lowest review scores of that year, with Metacritic averages of 39 on PC and 29 on PS5. Since then, more than 400 employees have reportedly been affected by different rounds of layoffs at Build a Rocket Boy.
Despite the negative reception, the studio continued working on the game. Updates were released, and the company even launched the additional mission Blacklisted, which was also presented as a way to share alleged evidence of sabotage against MindsEye with the community. Co-CEO Mark Gerhard had attributed part of the game’s commercial failure to alleged “criminal activity,” including organized espionage and corporate sabotage.
The internal situation also led to protests. In July, former employees gathered outside the company’s Edinburgh office while Build a Rocket Boy held an in-person event with fans to test new MindsEye content. Protesters criticized how the layoffs were handled, working conditions during development, and the leadership’s response following the game’s launch.
Last Word on the Build a Rocket and MindsEye Boy Crisis
Build a Rocket Boy spent more than a year trying to turn MindsEye around after an extremely poor launch, continuing to release updates, new content, and community initiatives even as successive layoffs reduced its workforce. This week’s reports suggest that effort may have reached its limit, although there is still an important distinction between laying off the remaining team and formally dissolving the company.
For that reason, the safest way to describe the situation at this point is that a shutdown appears likely, but has not yet been officially confirmed. Statements from employees and sources consulted by different outlets point toward the end of operations as they currently exist, but an official statement from Build a Rocket Boy is still needed to clarify the future of both the company and MindsEye.
Other Gaming Content
- Read: Everything Announced During Capcom Spotlight
- Read: WARDOGS Massive Sales and Launch Problems Test Its Early Success
- Read: Shiny Hisuian Zorua Coming to Pokemon GO This October?
Featured Image Credit
Image via Steam
