Build A Rocket Boy faces union backlash after laying off MindsEye staff and allegedly hosting a fan-funded playtest event. The IWGB union organized a protest outside the studio's offices, with union chair Spring McParlin-Jones condemning the move as "a kick in the teeth for the fired workers who are seeing fans brought in to do jobs that would otherwise have been theirs."
The timing stings. BARB recently cut staff from its MindsEye project, then reportedly flew in fans for an expenses-paid playtest session. Union organizers argue the company essentially replaced paid positions with unpaid fan labor, undercutting laid-off employees who could have filled those roles.
This escalates an already tense relationship between BARB and its workforce. The studio has faced multiple rounds of layoffs while CEO Ed Willans claimed the company possessed "overwhelming evidence of organised espionage and corporate sabotage." Those accusations remain unsubstantiated and generated skepticism from industry observers.
MindsEye represents BARB's ambitious sci-fi project in development. The studio positioned itself as a next-gen creator, but financial realities forced workforce cuts. Rather than pausing external testing, BARB apparently mobilized its fan community instead.
The IWGB represents games industry workers across the UK and has grown increasingly active in organizing against studio practices deemed exploitative. This protest signals continued pressure on developers who balance financial constraints with workforce responsibilities. Fan playtests themselves aren't controversial. Using them to replace paid testing positions, particularly after layoffs, presents a different ethical calculus entirely.
BARB has not publicly responded to the union's allegations. The protest underscores growing friction between developer ambitions, financial pressures, and worker protections in an industry notorious for precarious employment.