View source for News/Build A Rocket Boy Sued Over Layoffs

{{News
|seo_title=Build A Rocket Boy Sued Over Layoffs
|seo_keywords=Build A Rocket Boy
|image=Build-a-Rocket-Boy-Logo.jpg
|tags=Build A Rocket Boy
|date=2025-10-13T11:43:07.000Z
|sources={{NewsSource
|source=Games Industry
|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/union-members-announce-legal-action-against-build-a-rocket-boy-over-layoffs
|article=News/Build A Rocket Boy Sued Over Layoffs
}}
|author=Andura
|category=Drama
|content=A group of 93 current and former employees of Build A Rocket Boy has publicly accused the studio’s leadership of “longstanding disrespect and mistreatment of your staff,” according to an open letter published by the IWGB Game Workers Union. The announcement comes as union members launch multiple legal actions against the company over alleged mishandling of recent redundancies.

==== Allegations of Overtime, Mismanagement, and Unfair Dismissals ====

The open letter outlines a series of grievances, including “lack of transparency and communication,” “unbearable levels of overtime,” and “disastrous handling of redundancies.” It claims employees were forced to complete mandatory eight-hour overtime weeks in the months before the release of MindsEye, with limited compensation and few opportunities to take time off.

Workers also allege the redundancy process was chaotic, stating that “employees have received misinformation, been handed dismissal notices with the wrong notice periods, and been put in the wrong teams,” leading to “the wrongful dismissal of dozens of staff members.”

The letter says these layoffs stemmed from leadership’s refusal to heed staff input, resulting in “one of the worst video game launches this decade.”

==== Union Response and Employee Testimonies ====

The IWGB confirmed that affected members are “filing multiple legal actions against BARB, claiming failure to carry out fair consultation ahead of redundancies as well as multiple cases of unfair dismissal.”

Audio engineer Isaac Hudd criticized management’s handling of staff, saying, “Build A Rocket Boy has shown little regard for the wellbeing of its staff. Many fantastic, hard-working developers have felt used and discarded.”

Former developer Ben Newbon added, “Studio leadership have chosen not to take responsibility for the game’s failure and instead blamed saboteurs… The arrogance of leadership to believe they can act with impunity has pushed myself and many others to take a stand.”

==== Union Condemnation ====

Spring McparlinJones, chair of the IWGB Game Workers union, condemned the company’s behavior:

“Workers at Build A Rocket Boy have been routinely belittled, cheated, and manipulated by the company they dedicated years of their lives to… The games industry is not the Wild West anymore. You don’t get to pretend that employment laws don’t apply to your company because if you do, then the union will be there to stop you.”

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