Ex-GTA developer’s studio faces closure after debut game flopped
Build A Rocket Boy
A video game studio founded by a former senior Grand Theft Auto developer is facing closure 15 months after the disastrous release of its debut game.
Edinburgh-based Build A Rocket Boy (Barb) launched MindsEye in June 2025 to a string of bad reviews and player complaints, with some calling it “the worst game” of the year.
Former workers said development of the game was chaotic and accused its boss, Leslie Benzies, of mismanaging the studio.
Barb has now gone into administration – a process which could result in it being sold to a new owner or closed down.
BBC Newsbeat has contacted Barb for a response.
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Benzies set up Barb in 2016 – the same year he left Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar Games after a legal row over unpaid royalties.
It began work on Everywhere, intended to be a multiplayer role-playing game set in a futuristic city, before pivoting its focus to action-adventure MindsEye.
Former staff previously told BBC Newsbeat the development process had “no coherent direction” and accused senior managers of failing to listen to their concerns.
Following the game’s turbulent launch, between 250 to 300 members of staff were made redundant.
Shortly before this, during an all-staff call, Benzies alleged “internal and external” forces had conspired to hinder MindsEye’s release, and vowed to root out “saboteurs” within the company.
When Newsbeat asked Barb about this, it released a statement saying: “Leslie and the entire senior management team take full responsibility for the initial launch [of MindsEye].
“The version of the game that was released did not reflect the experience our community deserved.”
Since its release, the company has failed to attract a bigger audience to the game with a series of fixes and content updates.
After further layoffs, reports last week suggested the remaining workers at the studio had also been let go.
What does going into administration mean?
A company goes into administration when it can no longer pay its bills – referred to as insolvency.
Any payments to creditors – people or companies they owe money – are put on hold while proposals to restructure the business are drawn up.
An administrator from a qualified accountancy firm is put in charge while this process takes place, and one of their main jobs is to keep the business running, usually until a new owner can be found.
They must also make sure creditors are paid back as much money as possible.
This is usually done by selling off assets such as equipment, furnishings and anything else that can be sold to raise cash.
Administration can take months and, in the worst-case scenario, a company can be put into liquidation and shut down if it has no way of making any more cash.
According to Barb’s most recent accounts, for the period up to September 2025, it incurred a £36.2m loss and had £10.5m in net assets.
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Grand Theft Auto made him a legend. His latest game was a disaster
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