‘Espionage’ Claims and Layoffs: The Troubled Saga of Build a Rocket Boy’s MindsEye

The CEO of Build a Rocket Boy, the studio behind the critically panned MindsEye, has ignited fresh controversy by alleging “overwhelming evidence” of “organized espionage and corporate sabotage” that sabotaged the game’s launch. In a LinkedIn post, Mark Gerhard claimed the studio is pursuing legal action against unnamed perpetrators, but the fallout has forced another round of layoffs.

“As leaders, we take responsibility for the outcomes of our projects,” Gerhard wrote. “However, the launch period was affected by factors beyond normal operational challenges and competitive environment.”

The studio claims to have uncovered “overwhelming evidence” of criminal activity orchestrated by a “very big American company” that allegedly spent over €1 million on a smear campaign. However, Gerhard stopped short of naming names, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

This isn’t the first time Build a Rocket Boy has pointed fingers at shadowy saboteurs. Ahead of MindsEye‘s release, Gerhard alleged “bot farms” were flooding the internet with negative comments. Studio founder Leslie Benzies echoed these claims post-launch, while Gerhard later suggested an in-game mission would “demonize” the alleged culprits.

Critics, however, have been less than convinced. MindsEye developers have pointed to internal issues like brutal crunch, mismanagement, and a lack of coherent direction as the real culprits behind the game’s failure. Publisher IO Interactive distanced itself from the sabotage narrative, hinting it may avoid similar publishing ventures in the future.

The evidence of MindsEye‘s quality issues is hard to ignore. A widely mocked “official gameplay teaser” showcased glaring errors, including a car hitting a pedestrian who ragdolls into the splits and a taxi rolling onto its roof before continuing down the street. The clip has become a symbol of the game’s technical shortcomings.

While anything is possible, the question remains: Why would anyone spend millions sabotaging a game that’s already struggling on its own? The real tragedy is that talented developers are now out of work, not because the game was good, but because it was bad.

Gerhard did not disclose the number of layoffs, but the studio’s future remains uncertain as it navigates legal battles and rebuilds its reputation.

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