adminThe planned Build a Rocket Boy staff protest highlights concerns about an upcoming all-expenses-paid fan event, following significant job cuts at the studio. Developers are expected to gather outside the company’s Edinburgh offices this weekend, with union representatives and members of the public also reportedly joining them.
Image credit: Build A Rocket Boy/IOI Partners
Why Build a Rocket Boy staff are planning a protest
Workers are reportedly unhappy that members of the MindsEye community are being flown in for the event while the studio has reduced its workforce. Build a Rocket Boy is thought to have laid off around 300 developers in June 2025, after MindsEye launched. Further redundancies were confirmed earlier this year.
The protest is expected to include Build a Rocket Boy developers, the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), other union representatives, and what organizers have described as the wider public. The reported concerns center on the contrast between an expensive fan gathering and the job losses affecting staff.
For readers following the issue, it is useful to distinguish between confirmed company announcements and reported estimates: the figure of around 300 layoffs is described as an estimate, while further redundancies were confirmed by the company.
MindsEye’s launch and ongoing updates
MindsEye received a poor response at launch, with players reporting bugs and performance problems. Sponsored marketing streams were cancelled at short notice, and reviews were largely negative. The studio cut staff soon afterward, but continued releasing updates to the game.
In November, Build a Rocket Boy released a free starter pack trial for MindsEye on all platforms. A trial can let prospective players assess a game before deciding whether to continue, while updates may address technical issues over time. However, the release of updates does not by itself indicate how much those issues have improved; players should check current platform information and recent feedback for the latest picture.
Development plans and publishing agreement
In February, Build a Rocket Boy announced what it called a “new phase of ongoing development” for MindsEye. The announcement marked the company’s first notable public-relations push since the game’s June launch. In March, IOI Partners, the publishing division of IO Interactive, and Build a Rocket Boy concluded their publishing agreement for the game.
The changing development and publishing arrangements provide context for the studio’s current situation, but they do not explain the specific terms of the fan event or the reasons behind each staffing decision. Those details should be confirmed through official statements if they become available.
What to watch next
The Build a Rocket Boy staff protest is expected to bring attention to workers’ concerns about the event and the studio’s recent job cuts. Further updates from the company, union representatives, and event organizers may clarify how the gathering proceeds and what steps, if any, follow. In the meantime, readers can keep the reported protest, confirmed redundancies, and MindsEye’s ongoing development in view as separate but related parts of the story.
