Leslie Benzies, the former Grand Theft Auto producer renowned for shaping one of gaming’s most successful franchises, experienced a dramatic reversal with the launch of his latest game, MindsEye, which was met with widespread criticism and technical failures, leading to massive financial losses and layoffs at his studio Build a Rocket Boy.
The downfall began when MindsEye, a sci-fi adventure game, released in June 2025 to immediate backlash from players and critics alike. Reviewers labeled it “broken” and “the worst game of 2025,” citing numerous bugs, performance issues, and graphical glitches, such as characters’ faces melting and pedestrians walking on air. The negative reception spread rapidly, prompting last-minute cancellations of sponsored streams and dashing hopes for a successful launch.
Leslie Benzies, who left Rockstar Games in 2016 after a legal dispute and founded Build a Rocket Boy, had attracted over £233 million in investment by 2024. However, the company reported cumulative losses of £202.6 million between 2020 and 2024, with no products released until MindsEye. Former employees described a culture of mismanagement, where Benzies frequently altered the game’s direction without consultation, leading to instability and wasted resources.
Staff allegations pointed to micro-management by Benzies, with developers referring to his direct instructions as “Leslie tickets” that disrupted workflow and prioritized minor changes over core development. An open letter signed by 93 current and former employees accused leadership of ignoring feedback and making “radical changes” without proper discussion, fostering an environment where concerns were dismissed or laughed at in meetings.
The period leading up to the release involved a “crunch” of mandatory unpaid overtime, with staff working extra hours under stress. This exacerbated morale issues and led to increased errors, as fixes by one team were undone by others, creating a cycle of regressions. Employees felt overworked and undervalued, with some suffering physically and mentally from the pressure.
Following the disastrous launch, Build a Rocket Boy announced redundancies, laying off between 250 and 300 staff, primarily in Edinburgh. The Independent Workers of Great Britain union criticized the handling of the process and planned legal action, citing “disastrous mishandling.” Affected workers expressed frustration over the sudden job losses and the studio’s failure to learn from earlier warnings.
In a statement, the company acknowledged that the released version of MindsEye did not meet expectations and committed to rolling out updates and new content to improve the game. Senior management, including Benzies, took full responsibility but blamed “internal and external” forces for the launch issues, a claim disputed by former employees who saw no evidence of sabotage.
The incident underscores broader challenges in the gaming industry, including job insecurity and the risks of ambitious projects led by visionary but inflexible leaders. Former staff worry about the impact on Scotland’s development scene and hope their outcry will prompt changes in how studios handle employee feedback and project management.