Nearly one hundred current and former Build a Rocket Boy employees have signed an open letter asking studio leaders for answers to claims of mistreatment. The employees, represented by the Game Workers Branch of the Independent Workers of Great Britain, are specifically calling on Mark Gerhard and Leslie Benzies, a former lead developer on Grand Theft Auto, to address their concerns.
The letter states that BARB leaders didn’t communicate well with their staff, and employees were forced to work extremely long hours in the months before the MindsEye launch. Workers also feel that recent layoffs were poorly managed and have caused significant upset.
The letter states that employees are experiencing pain and stress due to a number of problems, some of which are already known. Those who wrote the letter describe feeling burned out, worried about their jobs, and experiencing health problems, especially after dedicating years of work to a game that ultimately failed.
Employees are asking for a formal apology, fair compensation, and improvements to create a better and more respectful workplace. In a letter to Mark Gerhard and Leslie Benzies, they questioned the company’s claim of treating employees like family, asking if the current treatment aligns with that statement.
BARB, a game studio started by Leslie Benzies, who previously led development at Rockstar Games (known for GTA), released its first big game, MindsEye. Unfortunately, MindsEye received extremely negative reviews and was considered one of the worst games of the year. Since the launch, developers have been working tirelessly to address the game’s numerous problems. Following the poor reception, the studio reportedly experienced layoffs, and two top executives had already left before the game was even released.
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2025-10-10 17:09