The upcoming action-adventure thriller MindsEye, from Build a Rocket Boy (founded by former GTA producer Leslie Benzies) and published by Hitman studio IO Interactive, is facing a wave of critical online reaction even before its June 10th release. Now, in a surprising turn, the studio’s co-CEO, Mark Gerhard, has alleged that this negativity isn’t organic, but rather a “paid for” and “concerted effort” to undermine the game and the studio.
MindsEye, set for release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, recently debuted a new trailer showcasing features like an in-game mission creation system. However, despite the involvement of veteran developers, the reception to the game has been largely underwhelming. An online rundown shared earlier this week, for example, described MindsEye as a “broken mess, filled with bugs” and criticized its enemy encounters for lacking “depth.”
The controversy escalated when Mark Gerhard addressed these criticisms on the official MindsEye Discord server. When asked by a user if he believed “all the people who reacted negatively were financed by someone,” Gerhard responded with a definitive: “100 percent.”
When another user expressed surprise at such a bold claim, the studio executive doubled down, stating, “Not wild when it’s true…..”
Gerhard further suggested it “doesn’t take much to guess who” might be behind this alleged campaign, accompanying his comment with a laughing emoji, though he didn’t name any specific parties. He elaborated on his stance, stating, “I just said that there is a concerted effort by some people that don’t want to see Leslie or Build A Rocket Boy to be successful that are making a concerted effort to trash the game and the studio. It’s pretty easy to see the bots and the repeated replies to any content that we put out.”
Eurogamer reached out to Build a Rocket Boy and publisher IO Interactive for comment on Gerhard’s striking claims, but neither party was able to provide further information at the time of reporting.
This situation adds an unexpected layer of drama to the launch of MindsEye. While developers often face criticism, it’s rare for a studio executive to publicly allege a coordinated, paid campaign aimed at sabotaging their game. Whether these claims hold weight or are a defensive reaction to genuine criticism remains to be seen.
For those interested in learning more about the game itself, Eurogamer’s Chris Tapsell previously spoke with assistant game director Adam Whiting about MindsEye’s ambition to “revive the tight, linear, cinematic blockbuster game.” As its release date approaches, all eyes will be on MindsEye to see if it can overcome this pre-launch turbulence and deliver on its promises.
