Another wave of layoffs has hit Build A Rocket Boy, the studio founded by GTA veteran Leslie Benzies. Multiple staff members have indicated via social media that they are departing the company, with one describing their role as "helping wrap things up" in the HR department, suggesting a potential studio closure.
Sources speaking to Kotaku claim that Build A Rocket Boy is preparing for a permanent shutdown. This follows a series of significant workforce reductions over the past year. In May, the studio reportedly laid off 170 employees, and prior to that, an unspecified number of staff were made redundant following the troubled launch of its game, MindsEye. This summer, remaining staff reportedly staged a protest against a company-sponsored fan event.
Developments at the studio have been closely watched since the release of MindsEye, which underwent significant scale reductions from its initial concept. The game itself received harsh criticism, including a one-star review from Eurogamer, citing a "ridiculous story, inconsistent writing, poorly designed mission scenarios, and utterly atrocious combat," in addition to numerous technical issues. Studio executives had previously suggested that MindsEye's poor reception was due to sabotage by unnamed individuals.
Build A Rocket Boy has not yet issued a public comment on the latest layoffs or the reports of its potential closure.