Saying MindsEye had a rocky launch would be putting it mildly. Its release was marred by a poor critical reception, refunds to purchasers, and subsequent layoffs, earning developer Build a Rocket Boy’s debut title a wave of negative press.
However, there was once genuine excitement surrounding MindsEye. So much so that IOI Partners—the publishing division of Hitman and 007 First Light studio IO Interactive—saw enough potential to handle the game's distribution.
"Our initial discussions with them were about offering support," Hakan Abrak, CEO of IOI, told IGN. "We believed they had strong creative ideas and a compelling world in development. We hoped they would get the chance to showcase more of that, and we simply wanted to assist with distributing the game."
At some point in development, however, MindsEye clearly veered off course, culminating in its troubled launch. For IOI Partners, this outcome was obviously not what they had envisioned when aligning with the Leslie Benzies-led project.
"Well, that was certainly difficult, wasn't it?" Abrak acknowledged. "The reception was tough. It wasn't what they hoped for, nor what we at IOI Partners had hoped for either. They are working diligently to turn things around and regain player trust. They have tremendous potential and a lot of content in the works, so we hope they succeed in the future."
Shortly after launch, BARB expressed being "heartbroken" over the issues players encountered and pledged a series of patches to address significant performance problems, glitches, and AI bugs. The rollout of these fixes has now begun.
MindsEye, a story-driven action-adventure game, was originally conceived as part of Everywhere—an adult-oriented creation platform led by former Grand Theft Auto design head Leslie Benzies, often dubbed 'Roblox for adults.' BARB later shifted focus solely to MindsEye, but the game has so far failed to deliver commercially for the company.
In July, BARB sources informed IGN that Benzies finally addressed staff post-launch in a brief video call. According to two anonymous attendees who spoke to protect their careers, Benzies insisted BARB would recover and relaunch MindsEye, partly blaming the studio's and game's struggles on internal and external saboteurs, among other factors.
The future of MindsEye and Build a Rocket Boy remains unclear. But what about IOI Partners and its willingness to publish more games from outside the Danish studio? IO Interactive will self-publish the upcoming James Bond adventure, 007 First Light. Yet, does the MindsEye experience sour the appetite for similar external partnerships?
"IO Interactive will publish our own games internally," Abrak confirmed. "As for IOI Partners? That remains to be seen."
You can read about how Daniel Craig’s likeness was used in a Hitman map to secure the Bond rights here. Also, explore how Queen Elizabeth II’s passing affected First Light’s development, and our coverage of the casting for IO's new James Bond here.
For a comprehensive look at 007 First Light, be sure to read my in-depth preview packed with gameplay and story details.
