The open-world game MindsEye, developed by Build a Rocket Boy and directed by the renowned Leslie Benzies, continues in a quest for redemption after a sales failure marked by launch issues.
Mark Gerhard, CEO of the studio, has expressed his confidence that MindsEye can achieve success comparable to that of Cyberpunk 2077, despite the mixed reviews it has received, with 67% of favorable opinions in the 98 new reviews on Steam.
From Failure to Success by Exposing the Sabotages
Despite Gerhard’s self-criticism regarding the game’s launch, where he acknowledged it was “the worst in history,” the sales data presented is ambiguous. Although the CEO claims that sales are increasing organically, nearly doubling weekly, the reality on Steam reveals a more complex picture.
The return rates stand at 2.2% for Xbox Series X|S and 3.2% for PS5, figures that are in line with industry averages but do not encourage optimists.
Gerhard has also claimed that MindsEye was the target of sabotage by disgruntled former employees and content creators, which has led to an ongoing investigation in the UK and the United States. “We have identified those involved, and the matter is now in the hands of the authorities,” explains the CEO. However, these conspiracy rumors may be seen as a defensive strategy in a context where the game’s failure has been resounding.
Meanwhile, the cancellation of the Everything project, which promised to be similar to Roblox, indicates that Build a Rocket Boy is facing difficulties not only with MindsEye but also in managing future projects. Without an effective relaunch and with a notable decline in the number of active players, achieving a resurgence comparable to that of Cyberpunk 2077 seems to be a challenging task for Gerhard and his team.