Leslie Benzies
Reporting and statements that mention Leslie Benzies.
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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.
Rapport: Mindseye-utvecklaren är på väg att slå igen
Build a Rocket Boy, the studio founded by Grand Theft Auto veteran Leslie Benzies, appears to be on the verge of closure. Multiple developers have reported being laid off, and sources suggest the company is shutting down. The studio's game, Mindseye, received significant criticism and was named Metacritic's worst game of the year.
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.
Studio Behind GTA-Like PlayStation 5 Game Shuts Down
Build a Rocket Boy, the studio behind the PlayStation 5 game MindsEye, is shutting down permanently after multiple rounds of layoffs and accusations of unlawful employee monitoring. The IWGB Games Worker Union has stated its commitment to seeking justice for the workers. Several employees have confirmed their departure from the company.
Studio behind one of the worst rated games of the generation set to close
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio behind the poorly received game Mindseye, is reportedly closing down permanently. The developer, founded by former Rockstar Games president Leslie Benzies, has faced multiple rounds of layoffs and legal action from employees. Sources indicate the studio had around 100 employees remaining.
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.
Rockstar Games Forced Crunch to Appease Executives, Says Former Red Dead Redemption Designer
A former designer for Rockstar Games, Kris Roberts, has detailed the studio's history of mandatory crunch, particularly during the development of Red Dead Redemption. Roberts explained that work hours expanded to include full Saturdays and encouraged Sundays, often driven by executive visits rather than genuine development needs. He also mentioned that the studio is currently facing accusations of encouraging crunch again, alongside issues with bonus payments and pay inequity.
"That's unacceptable": Red Dead Redemption dev says crunch at Rockstar was to "put on the show"…
Former Rockstar Games developer Kris Roberts described the crunch during the development of Red Dead Redemption as the worst period of his career, arguing it was performative for executives rather than necessary for game improvement. Roberts detailed how expectations for working hours escalated significantly, leading to extreme sleep deprivation and a feeling of artificial pressure, especially when executives like Sam Houser and Leslie Benzies visited. This experience, coupled with the difficulty of communicating such demands to his team, was a major factor in his decision to leave the studio.
GTA 4 producer Leslie Benzies wanted NPCs "to have their own lives," former Rockstar lead says, but "it ended up being so problematic" and didn't "really matter that much"
Former Rockstar Games producer Leslie Benzies envisioned Grand Theft Auto 4's NPCs having individual lives and schedules, but technical lead Obbe Vermeij stated the feature was too problematic and ultimately didn't significantly enhance the player experience. Vermeij suggested that players are generally accepting of less complex NPC behavior and that realism isn't always the primary goal in game design.
"A kick in the teeth for the fired workers": Unionised former MindsEye devs protest alleged fan playtest at Build A Rocket Boy
The IWGB union, representing former employees of Build a Rocket Boy (BARB), protested outside the studio's offices. They accuse BARB of hosting an expenses-paid fan playtest event for their game, MindsEye, shortly after mass layoffs, calling it a "kick in the teeth" to the former workers. The union also alleges BARB management installed surveillance software on employee PCs to identify "saboteurs."
'A kick in the teeth:' Game workers protest alleged misconduct at MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy
Game workers protested alleged misconduct and mismanagement at MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) over alleged data privacy violations and handling of layoffs. The IWGB Game Workers Union is taking legal action against the studio, founded by Leslie Benzies, over surveillance software and recent job cuts. The union criticized BARB's decision to host an expenses-paid fan playtest day for MindsEye, calling it a misuse of funds and a 'kick in the teeth' to laid-off employees.
Workers at MindsEye studio protesting controversial fan event this weekend after multiple rounds of layoffs
Workers at the MindsEye development studio, Build A Rocket Boy, are protesting a fan event scheduled for this weekend due to the company's recent multiple rounds of layoffs. Employees, supported by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain, are also concerned about alleged invasive surveillance software previously installed on their devices. This protest follows a history of labor disputes and accusations of corporate sabotage against the studio's leadership.
Take-Two CEO says 'former Rockstar employees' have tried to match GTA's success and 'haven't been able to'—and while he doesn't name names, that's gotta sting for a certain someone
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that while AI could theoretically allow smaller teams to create games, it doesn't guarantee success on the scale of Grand Theft Auto. He noted that many, including former Rockstar employees, have tried to replicate Rockstar's hit-making ability without success, emphasizing that creativity, not just technology, is key to continued success.
"Anyone run into Assassin's Creed?": GTA 6 maker Rockstar has faced many challengers over the years, Take-Two CEO says, but there's "zero evidence" AI will make them better
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick stated there is "zero evidence" that artificial intelligence will enable competitors to create games as successful as Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto series. Zelnick emphasized that creativity and talent, rather than technology, are the key drivers of success in game development. He acknowledged that while others have tried to replicate GTA's success, including former Rockstar employees, they have not yet achieved it, and Take-Two aims to continue attracting top creative talent.
What's going on at Build A Rocket Boy? Layoffs, legal action, and more
Build A Rocket Boy, the studio behind MindsEye, has conducted a third round of layoffs, reducing its staff to 80 employees. This follows previous rounds of redundancies and ongoing legal action from employees and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain over alleged mistreatment and the installation of surveillance software without consent. The studio's leadership has attributed the game's poor performance and studio issues to corporate sabotage, a claim that led to the termination of their partnership with publisher IO Interactive.
MindsEye Dev Reportedly Laid Off 170 Of 250 Employees
Build A Rocket Boy, the developer of MindsEye, has reportedly laid off approximately 170 of its 250 employees. This follows the game's poor reception last year and previous rounds of layoffs. The company has also faced accusations of installing surveillance software and issues with crunch time.
I played the MindsEye mission about the alleged game saboteurs, and it sucks so bad
The 'Blacklisted' mission for the narrative shooter MindsEye, developed by Build a Rocket Boy, is a poorly executed and uninteresting experience. Originally intended as a Hitman crossover, the mission fails to provide any convincing evidence for the alleged sabotage against the studio, despite its short length and lack of engaging gameplay or story elements.
MindsEye's New Blacklisted DLC Is Out Now, And Things Are Seeminly Not Improving
MindsEye has released its new Blacklisted DLC, coinciding with a price cut for the base game amidst ongoing criticism. The DLC, which features an assassin named Julia Black, reportedly touches on themes of sabotage and internal company strife, mirroring real-life allegations surrounding the game's troubled launch. Despite the new content, player reception remains largely negative, with ongoing concerns about dialogue, voice acting, and overall game quality, further compounded by reports of invasive employee monitoring software used by the developer.
The MindsEye Saga Never Ends as Devs Accuse Studio of Violating Their Privacy
Unionized employees at developer Build A Rocket Boy are taking legal action against the studio, accusing it of violating their data protection and privacy rights. The company reportedly installed surveillance software called 'Teramind' on developer devices, which tracked keystrokes, screen activity, and microphone audio without full disclosure. This follows previous accusations of mistreatment and claims of corporate sabotage regarding the game MindsEye.
MindsEye studio Build a Rocket Boy sued by unionised staff, who accuse management of breaking the law with "invasive" surveillance software
Unionized staff at MindsEye developers Build a Rocket Boy are suing the studio, alleging that the installation of surveillance software violated data protection laws and their basic dignity. The IWGB Game Workers Union claims the software, Teramind, recorded keystrokes, screen activity, and microphone audio without employee consent or transparency about data collection. The lawsuit is separate from previous claims regarding mishandled redundancies.
