Build A Rocket Boy Plans MindsEye Relaunch Amid Layoffs and Backlash

BARB CEO Leslie Benzies and his game Mindseye

MindsEye, the debut title from Build A Rocket Boy (BARB), may soon get a second chance. After being labeled the worst-rated game of 2025 shortly after release, BARB CEO Leslie Benzies has reportedly told staff that the game will be relaunched — even as internal turmoil and layoffs rock the studio.

In a recent internal video call obtained by IGN, Benzies, the former Rockstar North President, addressed employees following MindsEye’s disappointing launch. During the meeting, he expressed BARB’s intention to “bounce back” by relaunching the game and pinned part of the blame for its failure on both internal and external “saboteurs.” This follows similar comments from BARB’s co-CEO Mark Gerhard, who earlier claimed that individuals were being paid to generate negative sentiment online about the game.

MindsEye was initially pitched as a cinematic, story-driven action-adventure set within BARB’s broader Everywhere platform. Hyped by many as a potential "GTA killer," it ended up falling far short of expectations, launching in an unpolished state that drew widespread criticism. Even the game’s lead actor, Alex Hernandez, voiced frustration, suggesting that no game should be released in such an unfinished condition.

Since then, BARB has been attempting damage control, rolling out multiple patches aimed at fixing bugs, performance issues, and erratic AI. The studio has also cancelled promotional streams and faced an unusual volume of refund requests, even from platforms like PlayStation, which are typically rigid on refund policies.

On Steam, MindsEye’s trajectory paints a bleak picture. The game peaked at just over 3,300 concurrent players on launch day and dropped to a 24-hour peak of 46 players recently. At the time of writing, only 26 users were actively playing. Steam reviews are currently rated as “mostly negative.”

The poor reception has had a serious knock-on effect within the studio. As per IGN, BARB has issued redundancy warnings to its UK workforce of around 300 people, triggering a 45-day consultation period in compliance with UK labor law. Additional at-risk notices were also sent to employees at PlayFusion, the studio BARB acquired in late 2024. PlayFusion is currently working on Ascendant, a fast-paced FPS that was expected to release this year.

Despite all the setbacks, sources within BARB reportedly remain hopeful that MindsEye could still have a redemption arc. However, with mounting layoffs, reputational damage, and a dwindling player base, the road to recovery won’t be an easy one. The studio still has a multiplayer mode and more content planned post-launch, but whether it can deliver those as promised remains uncertain.