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 (BARB), the studio behind the critically panned MindsEye, is reportedly making additional staff redundant. A principal talent acquisition partner at BARB, Dan Hawkins, posted on LinkedIn that he is actively seeking new opportunities while assisting in HR department closure. Hawkins, who joined BARB five years ago and helped grow the studio from 200 to 550 employees, framed his departure as part of an industry-wide trend of job losses.

Michaela Emslie, a release manager at BARB, separately confirmed her redundancy in a LinkedIn post after four years with the company. She described transitioning from a junior QA role to her current position, expressing pride in her professional growth despite the layoffs. Her statement aligns with Hawkins' post, suggesting a broader pattern of staff reductions at the studio.

An IGN report cited an unnamed source familiar with BARB, stating the company may continue operating even if all staff are let go. This raises questions about the studio’s future plans and whether redundancies are part of a restructuring effort rather than a dissolution. The report follows previous controversies involving BARB, including legal claims filed by the IWGB union over alleged mishandling of redundancies and data privacy violations.

As of the latest update, BARB remains listed as an active business on the UK government’s Companies House site. Company directors Leslie Benzies and Mark Gerhard are still officially associated with the studio. The situation reflects ongoing challenges in the gaming industry, where multiple studios have faced financial difficulties and workforce reductions in recent years.