MindsEye’s Former Developers Speak Out Against Culture of Crunch at Build A Rocket Boy

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Following the release of the Blacklisted update for MindsEye – where players hunt down those responsible for damaging the game, according to CEO and CTO Mike Gerhard – more information has come to light about the game’s developer, Build A Rocket Boy. In an interview with Kotaku, developers from the studio, including lead animator Chris Wilson – a veteran in the industry and a key figure on MindsEye – shared their experiences working there.

Wilson observed that shared difficult experiences can sometimes strengthen bonds between people. However, he noted that many feel ashamed or hesitant to discuss those experiences, often avoiding any mention of their involvement in the project or workplace where the trauma occurred.

Alongside Wilson’s statements, former games analyst Ben Newborn shared that the team at Build A Rocket Boy was already experiencing intense periods of overtime – often called ‘crunch’ – even before the launch of MindsEye. He explained this led to severe mental and physical health problems among staff.

Before the failed release of MindsEye, employees had already been working under intense pressure for months. This led to serious mental and physical health problems, going beyond just typical burnout.

Wilson explained that Build A Rocket Boy experienced a prolonged period of crunch. Specifically, the cinematics team worked under intense pressure from June for several months afterward, and weren’t properly compensated for their extra effort.

The period was really challenging for many on the team, and it lasted a long time. Some teams were under intense pressure for months, and the cinematic team, in particular, worked under those conditions from June for several months afterwards – without receiving any extra pay for the extra hours.

According to Wilson, while eight hours was the standard workday, many people consistently worked much longer. He personally put in well over eight extra hours each week. While some employees resented the added workload, most accepted it as necessary. Wilson estimates the period of intense overtime, or ‘crunch,’ lasted between six and nine months. On top of their regular extra hours, employees were then asked to work even more during crunch time.

Wilson explained that he publicly criticized the studio’s policies because their use of Teramind to monitor employees, combined with a general disregard for the development team, had finally become unacceptable. He described these issues as the final factors that led to his decision to speak out.

Honestly, finding out about the Teramind monitoring really bothered me. It wasn’t just that they were watching us, but the fact that management wasn’t upfront about it at all – they wouldn’t explain why they started it or even when it began. That was the final straw, you know? It just felt like a complete lack of respect for everyone on staff.

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2026-04-29 18:12