MindsEye Developers Plan Weekend Protests Over Fan Event Following Layoffs
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Workers at Build a Rocket Boy are staging a protest outside their Edinburgh office this weekend to speak out against a funded fan playtest event, citing ongoing layoffs and severe labor tensions at the studio.
Workers at Build a Rocket Boy are organizing a picket outside the studio's Edinburgh offices this Saturday to protest an upcoming fan event for MindsEye. According to a report by Eurogamer, the demonstration is being supported by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain alongside wider public allies. The core grievance stems from the studio funding an all-expenses-paid trip to fly in community members for an exclusive playtest while the development team continues to deal with the aftermath of severe staffing reductions. Studio leadership has overseen multiple waves of layoffs over the past year, cutting hundreds of jobs following various release milestones.
The tension between Build a Rocket Boy and its workforce highlights a deeper operational friction within modern game development. Beyond the layoffs, the studio previously faced legal action from the IWGB after installing controversial surveillance software on employee devices, a move management defended while investigating bizarre claims of corporate sabotage during production. For a community that views games as both entertainment and social spaces, seeing the human cost behind a live product launch creates a difficult disconnect. Players tuning into streams or participating in playtests are now forced to confront the labor realities happening behind the curtain.
In response to the growing backlash, a company spokesperson defended Saturday's playtest as a routine part of development focused on gathering valuable community feedback for the future of MindsEye. However, balancing promotional fan outreach while former employees organize protests outside the building points to a fractured studio culture. As digital economies, live service models, and community engagement become standard priorities for publishers, the industry faces mounting pressure to address how it treats the teams actually building these virtual worlds.
Tags: MindsEye, Build a Rocket Boy, Industry News, Labor Unions, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer