Approximately 170 employees have been laid off from Build a Rocket Boy, the studio responsible for the troubled game MindsEye, reducing its workforce to around 80 individuals. Reports indicate that former employees, including Technical Level Designer James Tyler and Audio Designer Tom Cross, have confirmed their job losses through LinkedIn posts.
These layoffs follow a series of staffing reductions at the Scotland-based studio, which has struggled since the disastrous launch of MindsEye. The latest cuts come less than two months after an earlier round of layoffs was announced in early March, shortly after the studio ended its partnership with IO Interactive, losing the potential for a crossover with the Hitman series.
Build a Rocket Boy has not officially commented on the layoffs, and inquiries have been made for clarification. The studio has claimed that the negative reception of MindsEye was exacerbated by both internal and external factors, which they refer to as "sabotage." Recently, they announced plans to address these allegations in downloadable content released for the game.