Build a Rocket Boy Confirms Permanent Closure After MindsEye Failures

Key points

• Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) is permanently closing, confirmed by sources to Kotaku and employee statements.
• The closure follows the poor reception and commercial failure of their game MindsEye.
• Employees, including HR lead Dan Hawkins, posted on LinkedIn that they are helping 'wrap things up' as the studio ends.
• The studio faced multiple prior layoffs, a union grievance by the IWGB, and accusations of unlawful employee monitoring.
• The IWGB Games Worker Union issued a statement supporting affected workers and demanding justice for management's treatment.

Background

This closure follows a period of significant instability for BARB, including the loss of publishing partner IO Interactive and legal disputes regarding 'sabotage.' The studio had previously expanded from 200 to 550 staff but faced repeated reductions. The broader gaming industry has seen a wave of layoffs in 2026, including at studios like FuturLab and Bethesda, often cited as a response to market conditions and failed projects.

How outlets are covering it

Kotaku and Insider Gaming emphasize the finality of the closure, citing employee posts and sources confirming the studio is shutting down. Rock Paper Shotgun notes that while staff are leaving, the company may not be legally dissolved immediately, as it remains listed as active in UK Companies House. All outlets agree on the core facts but differ on the immediate legal status versus the operational reality.

Why it matters

The closure of BARB highlights the high-risk nature of large-scale game development, particularly for ambitious projects like MindsEye that failed commercially. It also underscores the growing role of unions like the IWGB in advocating for worker rights and holding management accountable for poor labor practices in the gaming industry.

What to watch

Affected employees are actively seeking new roles, as indicated by LinkedIn posts. The IWGB union has stated it will continue to pursue justice for the treatment of workers. The legal status of the company may persist for some time as assets are wound down, but operations are ceasing.