Mindseye (remember that?) is 2025's most significant gaming disaster. Early signs were apparent when the game's lead said there was a conspiracy from outside to "trash the game", and things went from bad to worse.

Build a Rocket Boy, the game's developer, scrambled to cancel sponsored streams at launch due to the poor performance, and it invoked memories of Cyberpunk 2077, which prompted PlayStation to issue refunds for the game. Less than a week after its release, the game was found in bargain bins. Within a month, staff were let go, and six weeks later, it dropped to single-digit player numbers on Steam. Naturally, it's the year's worst-reviewed game.

What's surprising is that while developed by Build a Rocket Boy, the game was published by IO Interactive, a company with an excellent track record, best known for creating the Hitman games and the upcoming 007: First Light.

Now, for the first time since Mindseye's launch, IOI has spoken out about the game, calling its launch "tough" and suggesting it may rethink its IOI Partners label as a response to the situation.

IO Interactive Says Mindseye's Launch Was "Definitely Tough"

In an interview at Gamescom with IGN, Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, said, "That was definitely tough, right?" in response to a question about Mindseye's release. He added, "It was a tough reception. It wasn't what they hoped for, and also what we didn't hope for at IOI Partners. They're working hard on turning that around to regain the trust of the gamers out there, and they have tons of potential and content they're working on. So hopefully they'll succeed with that in the future."

IOI Partners? That remains to be seen.

Abrak was quick to reassure IGN that nothing would change regarding IOI's internal publishing, but with its external label, he said, "IOI Partners? That remains to be seen."

It comes as little surprise, given IOI's reputation. The company hasn't released a game that's scored lower than a 70 on Metacritic since early 2013, and it holds an 'average career score' of 78 on the review aggregation site. Its lowest ever score was Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days for the PlayStation 2, which received a 62. Mindseye scored 37. You have to imagine, with the positive reception surrounding its recent outing, that 007: First Light will be in a much higher ballpark than that of Build a Rocket Boy's failed title.

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MindsEye

Action Adventure Third-Person Shooter Systems 1.8/10 Released June 10, 2025 ESRB Rating Pending Developer(s) Build A Rocket Boy Publisher(s) IO Interactive Partners A/S Engine Unreal Engine 5 Number of Players Single-player Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown
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