Internal crisis marks former GTA leader's studio before debut

Less than a week before the release of MindsEye, the first game from the studio Build a Rocket Boy, founded by the GTA V veteran, Leslie Benzies, the project is facing significant turbulence: two top executives have left the studio in the midst of the final stages of promoting the title.

The legal director and former operations director, Riley Graebner, announced his departure earlier this week through his LinkedIn profile. "After three and a half years, my time at BARB has come to an end. I am proud of what we have accomplished," wrote Graebner. Shortly after, the departure of the chief financial officer, Paul Bland, was also detected, who updated his profile indicating that he left the studio in June 2025.

The exodus of executives comes at the most critical moment for the studio: MindsEye is set to be released this week and has not yet convinced the public or critics. The game, with a cyberpunk aesthetic and an action-adventure structure, only had its first gameplay images released a few weeks ago, with a lukewarm reception. Some analysts pointed out that the visual quality is more reminiscent of games from the Xbox 360 era, around 2012, rather than a 2025 release.

The situation is further complicated by the recent history of negative previews, which were harshly criticized by representatives of the company itself. One executive went so far as to classify the criticisms as "sponsored" and part of a "coordinated effort to destroy the game and the studio."

Despite the internal crisis and doubts about the game, it is expected that new information about MindsEye will be revealed at the IO Interactive publisher event on June 6, the same date when a preview of the highly anticipated 007: First Light, a new game in the James Bond franchise, will also be presented.

Despite Leslie Benzies' reputation as one of the key figures in the most profitable phase of the Grand Theft Auto series, communication around MindsEye has been scarce. The project was initially announced as part of the world of Everywhere, a metaverse also developed by the studio, but the separation of the two products has caused confusion and further fueled uncertainties surrounding the title.

With a debut marked by corporate instability, modest technical expectations, and little clarity of direction, MindsEye enters the market under skeptical eyes — even with the weight of renowned names in its development.