IO Interactive and Build a Rocket Boy End MindsEye Partnership; Hitman Crossover Cancelled After Historic Low Metacritic Scores

IO Interactive and Build a Rocket Boy have officially ended their publishing partnership for MindsEye, with Build a Rocket Boy taking sole publishing control effective immediately and the planned Hitman crossover mission now scrapped. The decision follows MindsEye’s disastrous launch and record-setting low Metacritic ratings, amid allegations of “organised espionage” and “criminal sabotage” by BARB’s CEO.

On 17 March 2026, IO Interactive and Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) issued a joint statement confirming the end of their collaboration on the troubled game MindsEye. From now on, BARB will manage all publishing responsibilities for MindsEye, while IOI Partners will step away except for essential transitional duties. Their statement directly states, “IOI Partners’ involvement with MindsEye comes to an end, except for any essential transitional functions required to transfer publisher-of-record status to Build A Rocket Boy. Build A Rocket Boy will assume sole publishing responsibilities going forward, ensuring continuity for the MindsEye community and all partners. IOI Partners and BARB are coordinating closely to ensure a seamless transition over the coming weeks.”

MindsEye Launch Fallout: Historic Metacritic Lows and Refunds

MindsEye, developed by BARB under the leadership of former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies, launched in June 2025. The game’s debut was met with widespread public criticism due to severe technical issues, extensively documented across social media platforms. These technical failures prompted PlayStation to offer direct refunds to multiple players. As of the most recent update, MindsEye holds a Metacritic score of 38 for the PC version and 28 for the PS5 version, establishing it as the lowest-rated game on Metacritic in 2025.

Key facts from the launch include:

• PC Metacritic Score: 38
• PS5 Metacritic Score: 28
• Release Date: June 2025
• Initial Publisher: IOI Partners (IO Interactive)
• Development Studio: Build a Rocket Boy
• Number of Reported Refunds: Unspecified, but “multiple players” received refunds via PlayStation support due to technical problems.

Cancelled Hitman Crossover; Partnership Timeline

Before the dissolution of the IO Interactive–BARB partnership, plans were underway for a special Hitman mission crossover within MindsEye, marking a high-profile collaboration between IOI’s flagship franchise and BARB’s new IP. Following the split announced on 17 March 2026, this crossover mission is officially cancelled. The timeline for IOI and BARB’s involvement is as follows:

• 2017: IO Interactive becomes independent from Square Enix.
• 2024: IO Interactive launches IOI Partners to publish third-party games.
• 2025 (June): MindsEye launches, published by IOI Partners.
• 2026 (17 March): IOI and BARB announce their official split; future publishing and transition duties rest with BARB.

There are currently no plans to revisit the Hitman/MindsEye crossover following the partnership’s breakdown.

BARB’s Response: Espionage Allegations and Ongoing Layoffs

The turbulent launch and subsequent commercial failure of MindsEye triggered multiple waves of layoffs at BARB. Earlier this month, CEO Mark Gerhard disclosed via an official communication that, alongside these cuts, BARB had uncovered evidence suggesting deliberate acts of sabotage and espionage surrounding the game’s release. He said, “Over the past months we have been working with external partners and legal advisors to investigate the criminal activity that took place around our launch. That work has taken far longer than expected, but it has now resulted in overwhelming evidence of organised espionage and corporate sabotage affecting MindsEye. Because this matter is moving toward prosecution, we cannot share the full details publicly yet.”

Gerhard’s statement reflects the ongoing internal and legal turbulence at BARB, further contributing to the cancellation of collaborative content and the publisher’s need to restructure their business approach for the future.

MindsEye’s launch is now marked by:

• Severe technical issues at launch, leading to widespread refund requests.
• The lowest recorded Metacritic scores for any game in 2025.
• Cancelled crossover content with the Hitman franchise.
• Multiple layoffs and credible allegations of corporate sabotage.

Summary Block:

• Partnership End Date: 17 March 2026
• New Publisher of Record: Build a Rocket Boy (BARB)
• Hitman Crossover Status: Cancelled
• Key Quotes: “IOI Partners’ involvement with MindsEye comes to an end… BARB will assume sole publishing responsibilities”, “Overwhelming evidence of organised espionage and corporate sabotage affecting MindsEye”
• Metacritic Scores (2025): PC – 38, PS5 – 28