Over a year after the troubled launch of its flagship title, MindsEye’s developer Build a Rocket Boy appears to be winding down operations entirely, following another round of layoffs that has left former staff publicly announcing their departures. The news broke Wednesday as a cascade of social media posts from ex-employees confirmed that the studio is imminently closing, casting a somber shadow over a franchise that has already endured a rocky debut, a controversial expansion, and mounting internal conflict. The revelations surfaced through LinkedIn updates from personnel across the studio’s human resources, art, and release management teams, each signaling redundancy and a search for new opportunities.
The studio’s collapse comes against a backdrop of significant turbulence. MindsEye’s debut in June 2025 was widely regarded as one of the worst launches of the year, and the fallout from that period already triggered an initial wave of job cuts. The situation has since deteriorated further, with the developer issuing a major update earlier in 2026 ahead of yet another round of layoffs amid allegations of “espionage and corporate sabotage” leveled by the studio’s co-CEO. That internal strife reportedly became the foundation for MindsEye’s poorly received downloadable content, deepening the studio’s reputation for controversy.
Former Staff Confirm the Studio’s Demise
The confirmation of Build a Rocket Boy’s closure arrived through a series of personal posts shared by employees who had spent years with the company. Principal talent acquisition partner Dan Hawkins raised his “green banner” in a heartfelt farewell, a nod to the green #OpentoWork banner featured on his profile image. “With a very heavy heart I raise my green banner, along with the rest of my colleagues at Build a Rocket Boy,” Hawkins wrote. “I will be seeing BARB through till the very end, helping wrap things up here in the HR department,” he said, strongly implying that the studio is shutting down imminently.
Other long-serving staff echoed the sentiment. Lead 3D weapon/prop artist Adam Ridsdale confirmed his own redundancy, writing, “Unfortunately, along with the rest of my colleagues at Build a Rocket Boy, I am facing redundancy and now looking for a new opportunity.” Release manager Michaela Emslie added that she had been given her redundancy notice after four years with the studio, noting that several of her fellow colleagues had received the same notice. At the time of reporting, Build a Rocket Boy had not yet issued any official public statement detailing the full extent of the layoffs.
“With a very heavy heart I raise my green banner, along with the rest of my colleagues at Build a Rocket Boy. I will be seeing BARB through till the very end, helping wrap things up here in the HR department.”
Dan Hawkins, Principal Talent Acquisition Partner
The pattern of departures suggests a coordinated and deliberate shutdown rather than isolated departures, with employees across multiple departments departing around the same time. The studio’s history of internal discord adds weight to these developments, as allegations of sabotage between leadership and staff have reportedly poisoned the working environment for years.
A Franchise Built on Controversy
Build a Rocket Boy’s struggles are inextricably linked to the troubled trajectory of MindsEye itself. The game’s disastrous June 2025 launch cemented its reputation as one of the worst games of 2025, and the resulting layoffs marked the beginning of a downward spiral for the studio. Attempts to salvage the title with a substantial update earlier in 2026 were overshadowed by fresh layoffs and a co-CEO’s public allegations of “espionage and corporate sabotage” within the company.
That internal conflict reportedly spilled into the game itself, serving as the basis for MindsEye’s poorly received DLC. Meanwhile, the studio’s relationship with its own workforce deteriorated to the point where staff members sued the company over alleged privacy violations and organized protests outside the studio during an expenses-paid playtest event in July. The combination of creative, financial, and interpersonal failures has left the franchise in a precarious position.
Looking Ahead
As of now, the future of MindsEye and its broader catalog remains uncertain. With the studio seemingly ceasing operations, questions abound regarding the fate of any unfinished projects, the status of existing players, and whether the game’s servers will remain online. Polygon has reached out to Build a Rocket Boy for clarification and will update this report accordingly once an official statement is issued.
For the community that followed MindsEye’s turbulent journey, the news marks the end of an era defined by ambitious promises, rocky execution, and internal strife. The studio’s departure underscores the fragility of development in an industry where creative vision, corporate governance, and workforce stability must align—or risk collapse.
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