IO Interactive terminates publishing deal with MindsEye studio Build a Rocket Boy

IO Interactive has announced that its publishing deal with Build a Rocket Boy, the Edinburgh-based studio behind the critically panned action-adventure title MindEye, has come to an end, with the IP being handed over to the developer.

The details:

• In a new statement, IOI Partners and Build a Rocket Boy confirmed that their partnership is now over as of this week, with the studio "assuming sole publishing responsibilities” going forward. “IOI Partners’ involvement with MindsEye comes to an end, except for any essential transitional functions required to transfer publisher-of-record status to Build A Rocket Boy,” the statement reads. “Build A Rocket Boy will assume sole publishing responsibilities going forward, ensuring continuity for the MindsEye community and all partners. IOI Partners and BARB are coordinating closely to ensure a seamless transition over the coming weeks.”
• With the announcement, it has also been confirmed that Mindseye’s planned crossover with fellow IOI IP Hitman will no longer go ahead. It’s unknown how far in development the mission was prior to the cancellation, but little had been shared about the content beyond its original announcement.
• Mindseye launched in June 2025 and was an immediate critical failure, with reviews highlighting its countless bugs and performance issues, leading to the game being branded as the worst release of the year. Despite this, BARB confirmed it would continue working on the game with fixes and content. Meanwhile, co-CEO Mark Gerhard has claimed that there is evidence of “criminal activity” that took place that contributed to the game’s commercial failure.