adminBuild a Rocket Boy layoffs are underway again, with the studio pointing to the challenging games industry climate and the effect of MindsEye’s launch on its business. In a statement shared by CEO Mark Gerhard on LinkedIn, the company described the cuts as painful and said an investigation into alleged criminal activity around the game’s release had produced evidence of organized espionage and corporate sabotage. The allegations have not been detailed publicly.
Image credit: Build A Rocket Boy
Build a Rocket Boy layoffs follow a difficult MindsEye launch
Gerhard said the studio accepts responsibility for its projects and the decisions that follow them. He also stated that events during the launch period went beyond ordinary operational difficulties and competition. The company says it has worked with external partners and legal advisers over recent months to investigate what it describes as criminal activity.
According to the statement, that inquiry took longer than expected and has now generated what the studio calls compelling evidence of organized espionage and corporate sabotage affecting MindsEye. Build a Rocket Boy said it could not publish further details because the matter is moving toward prosecution. These claims are the company’s allegations; the statement did not identify the people or organizations involved.
Practical context: The allegations should be distinguished from the publicly reported reception of the game. The studio’s statement does not change the fact that players reported technical problems and reviews were poor at launch.
Studio says cuts are intended to protect its future
Build a Rocket Boy said it has continued updating MindsEye and praised the team’s work during the period after release. However, the company described the launch as difficult and said it had decided to reduce the studio’s workforce again to support the long-term future of the business and its ongoing projects.
The announcement also acknowledged the effect of the decision on departing employees. Gerhard said the company would try to support affected staff as they look for new roles, and that it plans to share information about team members with communities that help developers find opportunities during career transitions.
About 300 Build a Rocket Boy developers were reportedly laid off last June. The latest announcement did not specify how many people are affected by the new cuts. For workers following the situation, the company’s statement and any subsequent updates are the clearest sources of information about support arrangements and vacancies.
MindsEye’s reception and recent updates
MindsEye received a poor response when it launched, with players reporting bugs and performance issues. Sponsored marketing streams were cancelled at short notice, and reviews were also unfavorable. Build a Rocket Boy later made staff cuts but continued releasing updates for the game. In November, it introduced a free starter-pack trial across all platforms.
Last month, the studio announced a new phase of ongoing development for MindsEye. It was the company’s first notable public-relations push since the game launched in June and arrived amid separate controversy involving studio founder Leslie Benzies.
Separate controversy involving Leslie Benzies
Benzies was named in Epstein-related files recently released by the US Justice Department. An email from an unnamed person described as an alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein accused Benzies of sexual assault. Benzies denied the accusation. This issue is separate from the studio’s claims about events surrounding MindsEye’s launch.
What the Build a Rocket Boy layoffs mean
The Build a Rocket Boy layoffs reflect the company’s stated response to a difficult release and its aim of maintaining the studio and its projects over the longer term. The studio has also made serious claims about alleged interference with MindsEye, but says it cannot provide full details while the matter moves toward prosecution. Further information about the number of roles affected, employee support, or the investigation has not been provided in the statement.
