The Scottish development house Build a Rocket Boy has reportedly launched yet another round of staff reductions, intensifying concerns about the future of its flagship title, MindsEye. The game, which debuted in June 2025, was met with a wave of criticism from players and reviewers alike. Early adopters quickly highlighted a litany of technical problems, ranging from persistent bugs to severe performance drops on several platforms. In addition to these issues, the studio abruptly cancelled a series of sponsored marketing streams that had been slated to promote the launch, further dampening enthusiasm.
The combination of negative press, low scores, and a shaky launch environment set the stage for a tumultuous period for the company. In the weeks following the game's release, Build a Rocket Boy began trimming its workforce, laying off roughly 300 developers as part of an effort to stem financial losses. Despite the downsizing, the team continued to push out patches and updates in an attempt to salvage the player experience. Notably, in November the studio rolled out a "free starter pack" trial across all supported platforms, hoping to attract new players and give existing ones a reason to stay engaged.
This initiative was part of a broader strategy to re‑ignite interest in MindsEye and demonstrate that the developers were still committed to improving the product. The layoffs did not stop there. Earlier in the year, further redundancies were confirmed, though the exact numbers were not disclosed. In February, Build a Rocket Boy attempted to shift the narrative by announcing a "new phase of ongoing development" for MindsEye, marking the first significant public relations push since the troubled launch.
This announcement was intended to signal that the studio was moving beyond the initial setbacks and was focused on delivering a more polished experience. The following month, a publishing agreement was finalized between IOI Partners – the publishing arm of IO Interactive – and Build a Rocket Boy, formalizing the distribution and support framework for MindsEye. According to a report from IGN, multiple current and former employees have now confirmed that additional layoffs have taken place, though the precise scope of the cuts remains vague. Among those who publicly acknowledged their departure was Dan Hawkins, the principal talent acquisition partner and head of HR operations at Build a Rocket Boy.
Hawkins posted a heartfelt farewell on LinkedIn, writing, "With a very heavy heart I raise my green banner, along with the rest of my colleagues at Build a Rocket Boy." He reflected on his nearly five‑year tenure, noting that he was the first hire for the internal recruitment team and helped expand the studio’s headcount from 200 to 550 employees in a relatively short span. Hawkins expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside a talented roster of colleagues, many of whom he could not name individually. In his farewell message, Hawkins also indicated that he would remain with the company through the transition period, assisting the HR department in wrapping up remaining responsibilities. He added that he was open to new opportunities, both within the gaming sector and in other industries, and invited contacts to reach out about potential roles at growing firms.
An anonymous source familiar with the internal situation told IGN that even if the remaining staff were eventually let go, the studio itself might not be formally dissolved. This suggests that the parent company could be exploring alternative pathways, such as selling the intellectual property, merging with another developer, or repurposing the studio’s assets for a different project. Build a Rocket Boy has not responded to requests for comment on these rumors, leaving the industry to speculate about the ultimate fate of the company and its troubled title.
The atmosphere around the studio has been charged with tension. In July, a group of Build a Rocket Boy employees staged a protest outside the company's Edinburgh headquarters. Demonstrators voiced their discontent over an "all‑expenses‑paid" fan event that the studio had organized, arguing that it was tone‑deaf given the scale of recent layoffs.
The protest highlighted the growing frustration among staff and the broader community, who felt that resources were being allocated to promotional activities rather than addressing the core issues affecting the game and its workforce. Overall, the situation at Build a Rocket Boy illustrates the challenges that can arise when a high‑profile game fails to meet expectations at launch. The combination of technical shortcomings, marketing missteps, and subsequent financial pressures has led to a cascade of layoffs, public relations efforts, and internal uncertainty. While the company continues to issue patches and promises of future development phases, the long‑term viability of MindsEye and the studio itself remains in question.
Stakeholders, including investors, partners, and the gaming community, will be watching closely to see whether Build a Rocket Boy can stabilize its operations, find a sustainable path forward, or ultimately become a cautionary tale of an ambitious project gone awry.