Build A Rocket Boy (Barb), a video game studio established in Edinburgh by Leslie Benzies following his departure from Rockstar Games, has entered administration. The development studio launched its debut game MindsEye in June 2025 to widely negative critical and player reception, with some describing it as the worst game released that year.
Barb was founded in 2016 by Benzies, who left Rockstar Games amid a legal dispute over unpaid royalties. The studio initially worked on a project called Everywhere, a multiplayer role-playing game set in a futuristic city, before shifting focus to the action-adventure title MindsEye. The company had attracted over £233 million in investment by 2024, according to company documents. However, former employees characterized the development process as disorganized and lacking clear direction, with staff raising concerns that senior management dismissed their input.
Following MindsEye’s troubled launch, the studio laid off between 250 and 300 employees. During an all-staff meeting, Benzies alleged that internal and external forces had conspired to undermine the game’s release and pledged to identify troublemakers within the company. The senior management team later issued a statement accepting responsibility for the initial launch, acknowledging that the released version did not meet community expectations. Subsequent updates and content additions failed to attract a wider audience to the game.
After additional rounds of layoffs, reports emerged that remaining staff had been terminated. According to Barb’s latest financial records covering the period through September 2025, the company reported a £36.2 million loss and held £10.5 million in net assets. Administration allows a qualified accountancy firm to assume management while restructuring proposals are developed and creditors’ claims are addressed. The process may result in the company being acquired by a new owner or, if no viable path forward exists, liquidation and closure.
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