In July, employees at the Edinburgh-based video game studio, Build a Rocket Boy, were summoned to an all-hands meeting. Just three weeks prior, their debut title, the sci-fi adventure ‘MindsEye’, had been released to widespread criticism, being labelled “broken,” “buggy,” and “the worst game of 2025.” Company boss Leslie Benzies, speaking remotely, reassured staff that a turnaround plan was in motion and dismissed the negative reviews as “uncalled for.” He then alluded to internal and external sabotage, vowing to identify “saboteurs” among the team, a statement that stunned employees who were already facing potential redundancies.
Benzies, a key figure behind the immensely successful Grand Theft Auto series, left Rockstar Games in 2016 after GTA 5’s record-breaking release and a subsequent legal dispute over royalties. He founded Build a Rocket Boy (Barb) the same year, which grew to 448 employees by the end of 2024, with studios in Edinburgh, Budapest, and Montpellier. Despite a competitive salary and positive work environment, the studio’s ambitious projects, including ‘Everywhere’ and later ‘MindsEye’, faced significant challenges.
Barb invested heavily, attracting over £233 million in investment, yet posted substantial losses, totalling £202.6 million between 2020 and 2024. Employees report that Benzies’ leadership style involved constant, rapid changes and micro-management, often ignoring the input of experienced staff. This approach, coupled with a demanding crunch period leading up to the ‘MindsEye’ launch, contributed to a decline in morale and a game riddled with bugs and performance issues. The release was met with widespread disappointment, with players encountering graphical glitches and game-breaking bugs, leading to a severely negative reception.
In the aftermath, the studio initiated significant redundancies, affecting 250-300 staff, primarily in Edinburgh. The Game Workers Branch of the IWGB union has spoken out, criticizing the handling of the layoffs and planning legal action. Barb acknowledged the game’s shortcomings, stating that the released version “did not reflect the experience our community deserved” and pledged to continue developing ‘MindsEye’ into the game players expect. However, former employees remain skeptical about the game’s recovery and express concern for the future of the industry in Scotland, emphasizing the need for unity and better working conditions.