Last year, Build a Rocket Boy released MindsEye, a game that was arguably the worst release of 2025 and one of the worst launches in video game history, something that the studio's leadership even acknowledged. But it didn't do so while bearing the full brunt of the blame. Studio leadership Mark Gerhard and Leslie Benzies have held that the game's poor launch was the result of internal and external corporate espionage and sabotage, which Benzies and Gerhard allegedly tried to combat by installing surveillance software on company devices.
It's that attempt to spy on its own staff that has a group of unionized Build a Rocket Boy staff initiating legal action against management, as reported by Game Developer. Staff members at Build a Rocket Boy represented by the IWGB Game Workers Union released a statement, alleging that the software "violates both data protection laws and the workforce's basic dignity, exceeding the legitimate remit of monitoring workers' productivity or safeguarding the company's security by recording individuals in their homes without their consent."
It's worth noting that the software has since been removed, but that isn't stopping the IWGB from filing its case against Build a Rocket Boy management for doing it in the first place.
"In an internal meeting which was leaked to the press, bosses Mark Gerhard and Leslie Benzies confirmed that the software Teramind had been installed without workers' knowledge. The programme tracks users' key strokes, records screen activity and captures microphone audio," the statement continues.
That internal meeting was first reported back in February 2026, and in the time since, Build a Rocket Boy has had more layoffs and shut down another branch. All the while, Benzies and Gerhard still blame most of MindsEye's problems on external and internal sabotage, even going as far as to design a DLC level for MindsEye loosely based on what they allege happened to Build a Rocket Boy. As they seemingly ignore reports of their poor leadership as the actual root of Build a Rocket Boy's troubles.
IWGB member and BaRB developer Chris Wilson added, "Build a Rocket Boy's toxic culture of secrecy and micromanaging is one of the worst I've seen in a 20 year career in the gaming industry. While they have conceded to our headline demand of removing Teramind from our devices, many questions still remain about their actions. It can only be assumed this software was added as part of their effort to micromanage us, a product of their mistrust of their employees. It created an atmosphere of unease, something that doesn't lead to great video game production."
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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