According to Wccftech, Build a Rocket Boy has terminated its publishing partnership with Hitman developer IO Interactive. The decision reportedly came from Build a Rocket Boy’s side, not IO’s, as the embattled studio wants to start publishing its games internally. This move cancels a previously planned collaboration between the MindsEye and Hitman franchises. The split comes in the wake of Build a Rocket Boy’s disastrous 2025 launch of MindsEye, which holds a 37 Metascore, making it the worst-reviewed game of that year. The game’s launch was so broken that PlayStation offered refunds, and the studio later faced layoffs and severe internal criticism.
The MindsEye Disaster
Man, what a mess. To call MindsEye’s 37 Metascore “bad” is like calling a hurricane a bit of wind. It wasn’t just buggy—it was fundamentally broken at launch, to the point a platform like PlayStation stepped in with refunds. That’s almost unheard of. And when it *was* running, critics and players found a hollow experience with little to do and a forgettable story. The memes and clips of its worst moments spread like wildfire, completely killing any chance of a turnaround. The fallout was brutal: layoffs, a damning open letter from developers calling out leadership (including ex-Rockstar producer Leslie Benzies), and a BBC report digging into deep internal dysfunction. Basically, the studio’s reputation is in tatters.
A Strange Move
Here’s the thing that’s interesting. The report says Build a Rocket Boy walked away from IO Interactive, not the other way around. After a catastrophe like MindsEye, you’d think the publisher might be the one cutting ties. So what’s the play? Maybe it’s a desperate bid for total control—a “we have to fix this ourselves” mentality. Or, and this seems more likely, it could be a last-ditch effort to streamline and go it alone before the money runs out completely. The Insider Gaming report suggests the studio wants more control over its future. But let’s be real: when your last game nearly sinks the whole ship, is “more control” really what you need? It feels like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
What Happens Next?
I think the big question is whether Build a Rocket Boy has any runway left. They’re trying to fix MindsEye, but the player base has likely moved on. The idea of self-publishing a future game requires capital, stability, and trust—three things in very short supply at this studio. Without a publishing partner like IO to share the financial risk and provide support, the path forward looks incredibly steep. And neither company has officially confirmed this split, which adds another layer of uncertainty. So, is this a bold move toward independence, or the final act before shutting down? Given the track record, I wouldn’t bet on a comeback story. Sometimes, in tech and manufacturing, you need a reliable partner with proven hardware to build on—it’s the same principle in game development. You can’t rebuild a foundation with broken tools.
