Build a Rocket Boy CEO Alleges "Corporate Sabotage" of MindsEye, Plans In-Game Evidence

Build a Rocket Boy CEO Mark Gerhard has alleged "corporate sabotage" against the studio's game, MindsEye, stating that evidence of this will be integrated into an upcoming in-game mission. These claims coincide with the studio assuming full publishing responsibilities for MindsEye from IO Interactive, amid ongoing investigations by authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom, and recent layoffs at the studio.

Allegations of Sabotage and In-Game Evidence

Mark Gerhard has consistently maintained that a "concerted effort" by both internal and external parties aimed to "trash the game and the studio" since MindsEye's launch. He has claimed that these parties allegedly paid off influencers or utilized spam bots to negatively portray the game on social platforms.

A Build a Rocket Boy spokesperson previously stated that evidence exists of a "coordinated campaign to purposefully and maliciously damage" the company's reputation and MindsEye, leading to legal steps. However, Gerhard has not publicly presented evidence to substantiate these allegations, and former publisher IO Interactive has denied the claims.

"A concerted effort by both internal and external parties aimed to 'trash the game and the studio' since MindsEye's launch," alleges CEO Mark Gerhard, claiming a "coordinated campaign" against the game and company.

Gerhard announced that a new mission for MindsEye, titled "Blacklist," is under development and will feature a female playable character. This mission is intended to incorporate "evidence" supporting his claims of sabotage, with Gerhard previously indicating plans to disclose the names of individuals allegedly involved as non-player characters (NPCs) within the mission. This mission reportedly redevelops content initially planned as a Hitman crossover event, which was subsequently canceled.

Ongoing Investigations

Mark Gerhard stated that authorities in both the US and UK are investigating what he describes as criminal corporate espionage. He asserted that the studio possesses "very strong evidence" from "thorough investigations" and has identified parties involved, with the matter now in the hands of the authorities. Gerhard indicated that any further announcements or arrests would be handled by these authorities.

Authorities in the US and UK are reportedly investigating claims of "criminal corporate espionage," with Build a Rocket Boy stating they possess "very strong evidence" and have identified parties involved.

Publishing Transition and Game Relaunch

Earlier this month, IO Interactive transferred all publishing responsibilities for MindsEye to Build a Rocket Boy, concluding their publishing agreement. This transition enables Build a Rocket Boy to directly manage publishing and allows the game to be repriced. The planned Hitman crossover event for MindsEye was canceled following this change.

Gerhard acknowledged that MindsEye launched with numerous bugs and crashes, taking responsibility for these initial issues. He announced plans to "relaunch our game now that the interference has stopped," emphasizing continued investment in improvements, community engagement, and organic evolution.

Mark Gerhard acknowledged MindsEye's buggy launch but now plans to "relaunch our game now that the interference has stopped," promising continued investment and improvements.

Game Performance and Studio Operations

Despite Mark Gerhard's statements that MindsEye was "very well-reviewed" and sales were "doubling almost weekly," the game currently holds a Metacritic score of 39, a user score of 2.6, and a "mixed" rating on Steam. At the time of one report, only 11 players were observed on Steam.

Following MindsEye's launch, which received player feedback citing numerous bugs, unplayable levels, graphical glitches, and a lack of polish, former developers from the studio attributed the game's issues to problems such as poor leadership, tight deadlines, mismanagement, and a lack of clear direction.

MindsEye faces a critical Metacritic score of 39 and "mixed" Steam reviews, with former developers citing "poor leadership" and "mismanagement" for its launch issues, contrasting CEO Gerhard's claims of positive reception.

Build a Rocket Boy confirmed a new round of redundancies two weeks prior to recent reports. This follows an initial round of layoffs in early March, which the studio attributed to the "difficult launch" of MindsEye. These actions were described by Gerhard as a necessary step to ensure the long-term future of the company and its ongoing projects. Studio head Leslie Benzies has since returned from an extended vacation.