An open letter, signed by 93 current and former staff members of Build a Rocket Boy (BARB), the studio behind MindsEye, has been sent to the company`s leadership. Supported by the Game Workers Branch of the Independent Workers of Great Britain, the letter demands accountability regarding claims of employee mistreatment, specifically naming studio heads Mark Gerhard and former Grand Theft Auto lead developer Leslie Benzies.
The letter outlines several grievances, including alleged failures in leadership`s communication with staff. It also highlights “unbearable” levels of overtime endured by employees in the four months preceding MindsEye`s release. Furthermore, staff assert that recent redundancies were poorly managed, causing significant distress across the workforce.
The letter explicitly states that “these and many other issues… have caused pain and stress for your employees.” It describes the staff`s experience as one marked by “burnout, job insecurity, health issues, and the failure of a game that many of us have put years of our lives into.”
The signatories are calling for a public apology, fair compensation, and substantial changes aimed at fostering a just working environment and transforming the company`s culture. The letter concludes with a direct challenge to Gerhard and Benzies: “Mark Gerhard and Leslie Benzies, you often refer to your employees as `family.` But we ask you to consider, is this really how you treat your own?”
Build a Rocket Boy was established by Leslie Benzies, previously a key figure at Rockstar Games known for his work on the Grand Theft Auto series. MindsEye, the studio`s debut title, often compared to GTA, was released to poor reviews, ranking among the year`s lowest-rated games. Since its launch, developers have been working tirelessly to address its numerous problems, amidst reports of layoffs occurring after the game`s unsuccessful reception. Notably, two senior executives departed the studio even before the game`s initial release.