Former Build A Rocket Boy Developers Protest Studio Over Fan Playtest Following Mass Layoffs
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Unionised former developers and union representatives protested outside Build A Rocket Boy's offices over an expenses-paid fan playtest for MindsEye, following massive layoffs and severe internal friction at the studio.
Unionised former developers from Build A Rocket Boy, alongside representatives from the IWGB union, gathered outside the studio's Scottish offices to protest a recent expenses-paid fan playtest for MindsEye. Reporting by Rock Paper Shotgun and Chris Bratt of People Make Games highlighted the anger surrounding the event. IWGB chair Spring McParlin-Jones condemned the playtest as a severe insult to recently laid-off staff, pointing out that community members were brought in to handle testing roles that should have gone to the departed workforce.
The protest follows a turbulent period for the studio. Over the last thirteen months, Build A Rocket Boy has shed between 250 and 300 jobs. Former employees speaking at the demonstration criticized leadership, pointing to mishandled redundancies and pointing out the irony of funding travel and accommodation for fans to test an online game while former staff deal with unemployment. Isaac Hudd, an ex-employee who spoke at the protest, described the corporate decisions as a painful blow following months of stress and broken trust.
Tensions at the studio have been escalating steadily since the launch of MindsEye last June. Executive leadership has previously claimed the game was targeted by internal saboteurs, going so far as to install monitoring software on employee PCs and weaving allegations of sabotage into post-launch content. As reported by Rock Paper Shotgun, these drastic measures, paired with severe crunch and massive workforce reductions, have severely damaged relations between the remaining management and the broader game development community. Build A Rocket Boy has been approached for comment regarding the ongoing protests.
Tags: MindsEye, Build A Rocket Boy, IWGB, Game Industry, Industry News
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun