Dan Hawkins
Reporting and statements that mention Dan Hawkins.
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Former GTA 5 lead's studio reportedly closing as MindsEye devs announce their departure from Build A Rocket Boy
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio founded by former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, is reportedly closing down. This follows the highly negative reception of their game MindsEye and allegations of poor management, including excessive overtime and layoffs. Several employees have announced their departures on LinkedIn, with HR lead Dan Hawkins indicating the studio is being wound down.
MindsEye Developer Facing Difficult Future
Build a Rocket Boy, the developer behind MindsEye, is reportedly facing potential closure and significant layoffs, with over 400 employees already affected since the game's troubled launch in June 2025. While some reports suggest a complete shutdown, others indicate the company might continue as a legal entity. The game received extremely poor reviews, with Metacritic scores of 39 on PC and 29 on PlayStation 5.
More MindsEye developers have been laid off, and GTA veteran Leslie Benzie's studio is reportedly shutting down
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio founded by Grand Theft Auto veteran Leslie Benzies, is reportedly facing another round of significant layoffs and may be permanently shutting down. This follows previous job cuts and a turbulent year for its game, MindsEye, which received a one-star review and suffered from numerous technical issues.
MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy may finally be closing
Build a Rocket Boy (BARB), the developer behind the game MindsEye, appears to be closing down entirely, with reports indicating all remaining employees are being laid off. This follows multiple rounds of cuts, allegations of mismanagement and surveillance, and a contentious relationship with former publisher IO Interactive after the poorly received launch of MindsEye.
MindsEye developers report new round of layoffs at Build A Rocket Boy
Scottish studio Build a Rocket Boy has reportedly conducted another round of layoffs, impacting staff including principal talent acquisition partner Dan Hawkins. This follows previous redundancies after the poorly received launch of their game, MindsEye, and the conclusion of a publishing agreement with IOI Partners.
MindsEye studio Build A Rocket Boy appear to be making fresh redundancies, as one staffer says he's "helping wrap things up here in the HR department"
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio behind the game MindsEye, appears to be undergoing significant staff redundancies. Multiple employees, including a principal talent acquisition partner and a release manager, have indicated they are leaving the company due to layoffs. This follows previous legal claims against the studio regarding alleged mishandling of redundancies and data privacy violations.
