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Build a Rocket Boy Closure Reported Following Further Layoffs
Build a Rocket Boy, the studio founded by former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, is reportedly winding down permanently following another round of layoffs.
The developer had spent much of the past year attempting to recover from the troubled launch of MindsEye, while undergoing several rounds of restructuring and job cuts. Now, sources familiar with the situation have told Kotaku that the studio is closing its doors for good.
The studio has yet to publicly confirm the closure, so that distinction matters. However, posts from several employees increasingly point towards operations coming to an end rather than another conventional round of redundancies.
Employees Say Their Time Is Ending
Kotaku reports that several employees, including a level designer, QA analyst, release manager and production QA analyst, have publicly said that their time with Build a Rocket Boy is coming to an end.
One of the clearest indications came from principal talent acquisition partner Dan Hawkins, who said on LinkedIn that he would remain with the company until “the very end” while helping to wrap things up within its HR department. Sources subsequently told Kotaku that Build a Rocket Boy was permanently shutting down.
The latest development follows several previous rounds of layoffs. In May, Kotaku reported that roughly 170 employees out of a workforce of around 250 were affected by restructuring, leaving Build a Rocket Boy with about 80 staff at the time. We also previously covered the layoffs at MindsEye as the studio tried to keep supporting the game.
MindsEye Struggled to Recover After Launch
MindsEye arrived with considerable attention thanks to Benzies’ involvement, but its launch quickly became overshadowed by technical problems, poor reception and wider questions surrounding development at Build a Rocket Boy.
The situation grew increasingly unusual when studio leadership alleged that “organised espionage and corporate sabotage” had contributed to problems surrounding the game. Build a Rocket Boy later said it had gathered evidence and was pursuing legal action, although the company did not publicly substantiate those claims in detail.
Former employees, meanwhile, have publicly raised different concerns around the studio’s management and working environment, further complicating attempts to turn MindsEye around.
Build a Rocket Boy Has Yet to Confirm the Closure
For now, the reported shutdown leaves several questions unanswered, including what happens to MindsEye and whether any further updates planned for the game will still be released.
There is also no word yet on what comes next for Benzies or the studio’s other remaining leadership. Kotaku has contacted Build a Rocket Boy for comment, but the company had not issued a public statement confirming the closure at the time of writing.
If the report proves accurate, it brings an abrupt end to an ambitious studio that entered the industry with significant expectations, while leaving another group of developers facing uncertainty after an already difficult year.
