Reports indicate that Build a Rocket Boy, the studio responsible for the persistently problematic game MindsEye, has dismissed about 170 employees. Kotaku reports that the precise figure remains uncertain, though this recent reduction in personnel has left the Scottish company with roughly 80 workers.
Build a Rocket Boy, or BARB, has not issued any formal statement on the job cuts as of this writing, though Engadget has contacted the studio for details and will revise this article upon response. Kotaku notes that various ex-employees have verified their exits through recent LinkedIn updates, including Technical Level Designer James Tyler and Audio Designer Tom Cross, as well as additional individuals.
Over the past year, BARB has faced multiple instances of staff reductions after the botched debut of its first title, MindsEye, with the most recent prior eliminations disclosed in early March. Soon afterward, the developer ended its collaboration with IO Interactive and took sole responsibility for distributing MindsEye. Any intended integration with IO's Hitman franchise was scrapped as well.
BARB has repeatedly claimed that although the game's glitch-ridden release played a role in the negative coverage, both the title and the company endured sabotage from inside and outside sources. In an unusual step, the team vowed to reveal further details about the purported plot through interactive downloadable content for the game, which launched earlier this month.