Build A Rocket Boy Sued Over Secret Software and Layoffs

Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) is facing multiple lawsuits from employees. The company is accused of using secret surveillance software and mishandling layoffs, affecting hundreds of workers.
By Newsroom | Gaming, Legal |

Employees of game studio Build A Rocket Boy (BARB), makers of the title MindsEye, have initiated legal action against the company. The lawsuits center on allegations of data protection violations due to the installation of Teramind surveillance software on work devices without employees' knowledge.

MindsEye Staff Sue Developer - 1

The core grievance involves the installation of invasive monitoring software on company devices, which employees allege constitutes a data protection violation. This action has led to multiple legal filings from workers, with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) representing many of them.

MindsEye Staff Sue Developer - 2

While the studio has since removed the Teramind software following employee grievances, the IWGB states that BARB has failed to provide adequate explanations regarding what data was collected, how it was utilized, and the justification for its initial deployment.

MindsEye Staff Sue Developer - 3

Beyond the surveillance software issue, separate legal actions were filed on April 12, 2026, concerning the company's handling of a redundancy process initiated last year. These claims include accusations of unlawful blacklisting and failure to engage in collective consultations, which could result in significant financial penalties for BARB if successful.

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MindsEye Staff Sue Developer - 4

Context of Layoffs and Allegations

The legal challenges emerge against a backdrop of considerable turmoil for Build A Rocket Boy. The studio has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs, particularly following the troubled launch of MindsEye.

  • June 2025: Layoffs were confirmed less than a month after the game's release, with reports suggesting over 100 developers were at risk. This followed the departure of the studio's chief legal and financial officers shortly before the game's launch on June 10, 2025. The game itself received poor reviews and suffered from significant performance issues.

  • March 2026: Further layoffs were announced. Studio CEO Mark Gerhard attributed the game's disastrous launch to "organized espionage and corporate sabotage," stating that legal teams were investigating "criminal activity." He cited "overwhelming evidence" of such actions impacting MindsEye.

Internal Criticisms and Mismanagement Claims

Prior to the recent legal actions and layoff announcements, employees had already voiced significant criticisms of the studio's management. An open letter, reportedly signed by nearly 100 current and former BARB staff, detailed allegations of "calamitous mismanagement."

Key points from these criticisms include:

  • Shifting management priorities and the suppression of criticism.

  • Mandatory overtime policies implemented in the four months leading up to the game's launch.

  • Allegations that studio leaders, including Mark Gerhard and Leslie Benzies, failed to support or listen to employees, leading to the "disastrous handling of redundancies."

The union suggests that between 250 to 300 studio workers may have lost their livelihoods due to these alleged issues. The broader games industry has seen substantial job cuts in 2025 and early 2026, with numerous studios implementing layoffs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are employees suing Build A Rocket Boy (BARB)?
Employees are suing BARB because they claim the company used secret surveillance software called Teramind on work devices without telling them. They also say the company handled recent layoffs unfairly.
Q: What did Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) do with the surveillance software?
BARB installed Teramind software on employee devices. Employees believe this broke data protection rules. The company has since removed the software but has not fully explained what data was collected or why it was used.
Q: What are the claims about the layoffs at Build A Rocket Boy (BARB)?
Separate lawsuits filed on April 12, 2026, claim BARB did not consult workers properly during layoffs. There are also claims of unlawful blacklisting, meaning people might have been unfairly stopped from getting future jobs.
Q: How many workers are affected by these lawsuits and layoffs?
The union believes between 250 and 300 workers may have lost their jobs or been impacted by these issues at BARB.
Q: What happened with the game MindsEye and the company's performance?
The game MindsEye had a bad launch in June 2025 with poor reviews and technical problems. Following this, the company had layoffs in June 2025 and again in March 2026. The CEO blamed "sabotage" for the game's failure.