Build a Rocket Boy staff to protest upcoming “all-expenses-paid” fan event

Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) staff have organized a protest outside the studio’s Edinburgh offices this weekend in response to an “all-expenses-paid” fan event.

According to Eurogamer, workers are unhappy that the event is flying in members of the game’s community despite the studio having made significant headcount cuts since MindsEye’s release in June 2025.

BARB developers will reportedly be joined by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), other union reps, and “the wider public.”

Build a Rocket Boy is thought to have laid off around 300 developers in June 2025. Further redundancies were confirmed earlier this year.

MindsEye was poorly received on launch, with players reporting bugs and performance issues, last-minute cancellation of sponsored marketing streams, and dismal reviews. The developer laid off staff soon afterwards, but has continued to push out updates to the game. It released a “free starter pack” trial on all platforms in November.

In February, Build a Rocket Boy announced a “new phase of ongoing development” for MindsEye, marking the company’s first notable PR push since the game’s launch in June. In March, IOI Partners, the publishing division of IO Interactive, and Build a Rocket Boy concluded its publishing agreement for MindsEye in March.