The recent launch of MindsEye has thrown IO Interactive’s future in game publishing into uncertainty. Following a disastrous release marred by technical issues and a dismal Metacritic score, the company’s CEO, Hakan Abrak, expressed hesitance about continuing to publish games from other studios under the IOI Partners label. This situation raises significant questions about the viability of IOI’s expansion into publishing games beyond their own titles. Originally, IOI had ambitious plans to support other developers, believing in the potential of MindsEye and its creators.

In a troubling turn of events, Build a Rocket Boy, the studio behind the much-anticipated game MindsEye, has reportedly initiated mass layoff proceedings that could affect over 100 employees. This comes on the heels of a rocky launch for MindsEye, which has been plagued by technical issues and bugs, leading to a wave of refunds from PlayStation—a scenario reminiscent of the infamous Cyberpunk 2077 launch. The Edinburgh-based developer has begun a 45-day consultation process with its staff, a requirement under UK law when planning to lay off 100 or more employees.