MindsEye was one of the worst-reviewed games of 2025, with critics slamming developer Build a Rocket Boy for releasing the game in an unfinished state. Besides MindsEye obviously being rushed to release, players also took issue with the formulaic missions, strange combat and empty open world.
The game’s post-release period was a strange one, with Build a Rockey Boy’s co-CEO claiming that a third party funded a smear campaign against the game, while laid-off employees released an open letter criticising studio leadership for creating a toxic culture.
With all the negative reception MindsEye has received, and all the consequences the game’s release had for the studio, you’d think the remains of Build a Rocket Boy would accept the game’s failure and move onto its next project. That’s not what’s happened, however. Build a Rocket Boy continues to update MindsEye, transitioning the failed open-world title into a pseudo-sandbox title driven by user-created content.
#MindsEyePartner
However, an even stranger move from the developer is that it’s still funding sponsored content for MindsEye (nice spot, FRVR). The game averages single-digit players on Steam, a hole that very few games have climbed out of. Despite this, content creator and streamer Criken recently streamed MindsEye and released a YouTube video on his second channel which disclosed a MindsEye sponsorship.
“Sponsored by MindsEye! Head to your preferred gaming platform and search for MindsEye to start playing NOW…. #MindsEyePartner” reads the video’s description.
The video’s comments are comedic, making light of Criken’s sponsorship by a game that’s functionally dead: “Morbius tier sponsorship, I love it,” writes ClairEff, comparing MindsEye to the widely-panned Morbius (2022). “I can’t believe this is real, imagine getting a Concord sponsorship, this is history we are witnessing live right now,” comments Smexy_Mudkip974.
MindsEye Creator “Never Decided What Game He Wanted To Make” And Concerns Were “Laughed At” Leading To Disastrous Launch
According to a new report, “There was no coherent direction”.
It’s a baffling financial decision from a studio that recently laid off 250 developers. That being said, Build a Rocket Boy likely has so few employees remaining that it has no choice but to try to improve MindsEye, as the studio may now lack the resources to fund another project.
90 of those who were laid-off are currently suing the studio for mishandling their redundancy process. The suit is being handled by the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), the union of the affected employees.
MindsEye
- Released
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June 10, 2025
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Build A Rocket Boy
- Publisher(s)
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IO Interactive Partners A/S
