Build a Rocket Boy, the Leslie Benzies and Mark Gerhard-owned studio behind the widely criticized GTA-like MindsEye, is reportedly closing down for good.
Multiple rounds of layoffs, a collective grievance led by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, and accusations of crunch and unlawful employee monitoring—it’s fair to say that Build a Rocket Boy’s journey has been a controversial one.
Well, said journey has now seemingly come to its conclusion. Despite multiple attempts to transform MindsEye into a game that people might actually buy, multiple employees at Build a Rocket Boy have reported today that the studio is winding down permanently.
Build a Rocket Boy level designer Liam Shannon, QA analyst Elizabet Tyaneva, release manager Michaela Emslie, and production QA analyst Cameron Deaves have stated over the past 24 hours on LinkedIn that their time at the company is “coming to an end.”
However, this isn’t simply a case of further layoffs. at a studio that continues to operate. A LinkedIn post from Dan Hawkins, Build a Rocket Boy’s principal talent acquisition partner, straightforwardly stated that “along with the rest of [his] colleagues,” he’ll be helping “BARB through till the very end” as the studio winds down permanently.
“With a very heavy heart I raise my green banner, along with the rest of my colleagues at Build a Rocket Boy. I am ‘Open to Work’ actively looking for a new adventure[…]” reads Hawkins’ LinkedIn post. “I will be seeing BARB through till the very end, helping wrap things up here in the HR department. But I would be very interested in hearing about any opportunities, both within and outside of the games industry to join growing companies.”
Likewise, sources familiar with the situation confirmed to Kotaku that Build a Rocket Boy is permanently closing its doors.
Kotaku has reached out to Build a Rocket Boy for comment.