2 Build a Rocket Boy Studio Exits Affects MindsEye’s Launch Days Prior

Build a Rocket Boy Studios, led by former Rockstar veteran Leslie Benzies, faces another unexpected development just days before launching its debut game, MindsEye. According to Eurogamer, the studio’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Legal Officer have both departed the company barely one week ahead of the game’s release. Given this latest development, how will the game’s release be impacted moving forward?

Chief Legal Officer Riley Graebner Leaves Company

Before MindsEye’s official launch, former Chief Legal Officer Riley Graebner publicly confirmed his exit from Build a Rocket Boy Studios. Furthermore, Graebner joined the studio in 2022 before taking the role of Chief Operating Officer until April 2024.. Despite these important titles, he said his time with Build a Rocket Boy has ended, expressing pride in the company’s achievements during his tenure. 

Specifically, Riley Graebner’s absence, occurring before MindsEye’s release, revealed various factors, including the expansion of the workforce to over 450 employees, the successful worldwide launch of multiple products, and the foundational establishment of the legal team alongside its operational infrastructure. Ultimately, this abrupt dual departure of key executives so close to launch may signal an even deeper instability within the studio. 

Further, Graebner’s team’s efforts to systemize and automate legal processes during his leadership were further emphasized through his announcement. The long and often turbulent pre-release period for MindsEye, happening during this high-profile exit, further adds uncertainty to the game’s impending launch under Benzies’ direction. What’s more, questions involving the operational continuity and potential impacts on post-launch support for the ambitious title.

Paul Bland’s Online Disappearance

At the end of Riley Graebner’s LinkedIn message, he stated that he operates in stealth mode regarding future plans but remains excited for them. Meanwhile, former Chief Financial Officer Paul Bland didn’t make a public announcement about leaving Build a Rocket Boy, preferring to quietly update his LinkedIn profile to reflect a June departure instead. Subsequently, the former Chief Officer significantly altered his profile presence, changing his public URL. That said, neither individual offered much insight on the MindsEye release.

Paul Bland disappears from standard searches under his full name while retaining an account under “Paul B.” As MindsEye’s release approaches, another layer of peculiarity to the situation is uncovered due to this unusual digital behavior. So what exactly does this pattern of abrupt, simultaneous C-suite departures say about the game? Whether it merely reflects unfortunate timing, or does it suggest deeper issues within the studio leadership may be revealed following its release?

Top Executives’ Abrupt Exit Teaches Lesson

Two top executives are effectively leaving Build a Rocket Boy Studios one week before the years-in-the-making launch of MindsEye, inevitably creating a poor public perception regardless of the underlying reasons. Given this development, the growing concern within the game’s community is understandable. When expressing alarm on the game’s Discord channel, some fans interpreted the dual resignations of major internal figures as a concerning sign mere days before release. As no evidence of any specific wrongdoing behind the scenes was found, legitimate questions about stability and confidence during a critical juncture for Build a Rocket Boy and its ambitious debut title continue to arise because of the game’s timing and circumstances. 

MindsEye‘s Lack of Information Impacts Interests

Even MindsEye‘s subreddit revealed community concerns, as enthusiasm already wanes significantly due to the persistent lack of clear information about the game. Originally, it was presented years ago as an experience within the Everywhere platform during the metaverse hype cycle, though both concepts remained poorly defined over time. While the Everywhere platform, first announced in 2016, has faded further from view, its website now features a trailer and purchase links. Alongside these recent departures, does this persistent information vacuum surrounding its core identity and mechanics risk alienating potential buyers despite the imminent launch?

Exemplifying this widespread frustration, Redditor Greatness stated an inability to understand what MindsEye actually entails despite its impending release. This user not only criticized the marketing for relying solely on disconnected buzzwords and features but also carefully scripted trailers that fail to explain the fundamental gameplay experience. Build a Rocket Boy provided context for the game, describing it as a narrative-driven, single-player action-adventure thriller featuring an estimated 15-hour campaign and visual similarities to, though not the scale of, Grand Theft Auto.

Alongside the departures of the CFO and CLO, another public relations stumble involving co-CEO Mark Gerhard received attention. Specifically, Gerhard caused controversy in a recent statement, stating negative reactions against MindsEye constituted a concerted, financially backed effort to damage it and the studio before launch. Consequently, existing skepticism within the community and industry observers arose from this sequence of high-level exits and unusual executive statements.