Leslie Benzies, widely recognized for his role in shaping the Grand Theft Auto series, left Rockstar Games in 2016 following a legal dispute over royalties. That same year, he founded Build a Rocket Boy (Barb), a studio headquartered in Edinburgh with additional offices in Budapest and Montpellier. By the end of 2024, the company had grown to 448 employees and attracted more than £233 million in investment. Despite this, Barb had yet to release a finished product, and between 2020 and 2024, it posted losses totaling over £200 million.
The Development of MindsEye
Barb’s first project, Everywhere, was an ambitious multiplayer RPG set in a futuristic city. Staff have described the project as lacking a clear vision, with frequent feature changes requested by Benzies. Eventually, MindsEye emerged as the studio’s primary focus, initially conceived as an experience within Everywhere. Former employees described a development process characterized by instability and shifting priorities, which they say contributed to the game’s challenges.
Build a Rocket Boy Faces Fallout
Leadership and Internal Challenges
According to former staff, management at Barb often made sudden, high-level decisions without consulting the team. An open letter signed by 93 current and former employees alleged that leadership “repeatedly refused to listen” to experienced staff. Developers also described a system of “Leslie tickets,” tasks personally assigned by Benzies that had to take priority over all other work. These directives ranged from minor cosmetic fixes to major mission changes and were said to disrupt workflow and limit team ownership of projects.
Crunch and Staff Morale
In the months leading up to MindsEye’s June 2025 release, Barb entered a period of mandatory overtime, or “crunch,” with many staff working an additional eight unpaid hours per week. Former employees reported stress and fatigue as errors accumulated and regressions (where bugs reappeared after being fixed) became common. Staff morale declined, and some employees described a sense of frustration and exhaustion as the studio attempted to meet deadlines under pressure.
Build a Rocket Boy Faces Fallout
Launch and Immediate Backlash
MindsEye launched on 10 June 2025. While the studio initially celebrated the release internally, early player and critic responses quickly highlighted performance issues, bugs, and graphical glitches. Twitch streams and reviews pointed out problems ranging from broken AI to visual errors, including character models malfunctioning in gameplay. Despite rapid “hotfix” updates, the game’s reputation suffered, with some employees anticipating the negative reception prior to release.
Redundancies and Industry Implications
Within weeks of the launch, Barb announced redundancies affecting between 250 and 300 employees, most of whom were based in Edinburgh. The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union criticized the process and announced intentions to take legal action. Former staff expressed concerns about future employment prospects, highlighting the broader challenges facing the video game industry in recent years.
Barb’s Official Statement
In response to criticism, Barb stated that staff had contributed “passion, creativity, and hard work” and that the company was “deeply saddened” by the need for redundancies. The studio acknowledged that the version of MindsEye released did not meet community expectations and said that leadership took full responsibility. Updates and new content were promised as part of ongoing efforts to improve the game.
Build a Rocket Boy Faces Fallout
Looking Ahead for MindsEye
Despite the troubled launch and internal issues, former employees recognize the talent within Barb. Developers emphasized that while management and structural issues hindered the studio, many of their colleagues were highly skilled. The experience serves as a case study in how ambitious projects can be challenged by leadership decisions, workflow instability, and industry pressures, including the influence of gaming trends on development priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Leslie Benzies? Leslie Benzies is a former senior producer at Rockstar Games, known for his work on the Grand Theft Auto series. He founded Build a Rocket Boy in 2016 after leaving Rockstar.
What is MindsEye? MindsEye is a sci-fi adventure game developed by Build a Rocket Boy. It was released in June 2025 but faced criticism for bugs, performance issues, and unstable gameplay.
Why did MindsEye fail? According to former employees, the game’s failure was linked to unclear project direction, frequent last-minute feature changes, excessive crunch, and management practices like “Leslie tickets.”
How many employees were affected by layoffs at Build a Rocket Boy? Between 250 and 300 employees, mostly based in Edinburgh, lost their jobs following the launch of MindsEye.
Is Build a Rocket Boy still updating MindsEye? Yes. Barb stated that it has released updates to address issues and is working on enhancements and new content to improve the game.
What impact will this have on the Scottish game development scene? Former employees expressed concern that the studio’s challenges could have negative repercussions for the Scottish gaming industry, given Barb’s previous prominence and investment levels.
