It would be an understatement to say MindsEye had a rough launch. The release was plagued by poor critical reception, player refunds, and subsequent layoffs, garnering plenty of negative press for developer Build a Rocket Boy's debut title.
However, there was a time when MindsEye generated genuine excitement. Its potential was strong enough to attract IOI Partners—the publishing division of Hitman and 007 First Light studio IO Interactive—to distribute the game.
“Our initial discussions with them were about providing support,” Hakan Abrak, CEO of IOI, told IGN. “We believed they had compelling ideas and an impressive world in development. We hoped they would eventually showcase more, and we simply aimed to assist with distribution.”
At some point, though, MindsEye’s development clearly veered off track, culminating in its troubled launch. This outcome was certainly not what IOI Partners expected when they partnered with the project led by Leslie Benzies.
“It was definitely tough,” Abrak confirmed. “The reception was harsh, not what they or we at IOI Partners had envisioned. They are working hard to regain players' trust and have a wealth of potential content in the pipeline. We hope they manage to turn things around.”
Shortly after the launch, Build a Rocket Boy expressed that they were “heartbroken” over the issues players experienced. They committed to a series of patches to address performance problems, glitches, and AI behavior bugs, with updates already rolling out.
Originally intended as part of Everywhere—a ‘Roblox for adults’ creation platform led by former Grand Theft Auto design chief Leslie Benzies—MindsEye evolved into a standalone story-driven action adventure. However, it has yet to achieve commercial success for the studio.
In July, BARB sources informed IGN that Benzies addressed staff via a brief video call following the release. According to two anonymous sources, Benzies asserted that the studio would recover and relaunch MindsEye, attributing the game’s difficulties to both internal and external sabotage.
The future of MindsEye and Build a Rocket Boy remains uncertain. As for IOI Partners, will they pursue more third-party publishing deals? While IO Interactive will self-publish the upcoming James Bond title 007 First Light, the MindsEye experience may influence their appetite for external collaborations.
“IO Interactive will handle internal publishing for our own games,” Abrak stated. “As for IOI Partners? That’s still undecided.”
Learn how Daniel Craig’s likeness was used in a Hitman map to help secure the Bond rights. Also, explore how Queen Elizabeth II’s passing impacted First Light’s development and read about the casting of IO's new James Bond.
For a deeper look at 007 First Light, check out my detailed preview covering gameplay and story insights.
