IO Interactive's apprehension about publishing more games due to MindsEye's rocky debut: 'The future is uncertain'

In the world of video games, IO Interactive's latest title, MindsEye, has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Scottish studio Build a Rocket Boy, known for their work on classic Grand Theft Auto games, developed MindsEye under IO Interactive's Partners program. However, the game has faced poor sales and a negative rating on Steam.

The initial response to MindsEye was described as "tough" by IO Interactive CEO, Hakan Abrak. This tough reception has led to a series of events, with Mollie Taylor, a news writer at PC Gamer, expressing her opinion that the early hours of the game were "pretty bad." Taylor, who joined PC Gamer in 2020, has been vocal about the game's dull characters and lack of insightful deep thoughts.

Amidst the negative reviews, Mark Gerhard, a prominent figure in the gaming industry, claimed that the negative reactions to the game were "100%" financed by someone, without specifying who. Leslie Benzies, a former Grand Theft Auto producer and the president of Build a Rocket Boy, accused internal and external saboteurs for the game's failure.

Abrak has stated that IO Interactive will publish their own games internally, but the future of IOI Partners as a publisher remains uncertain. He expressed hope that the developers of MindsEye will succeed in regaining the trust of gamers. However, it is possible that IO Interactive is keeping its cards closer to its chest for the foreseeable future.

The developers of MindsEye, Build a Rocket Boy, have experienced layoffs. Despite the challenges, Mollie Taylor remains optimistic, questioning the paradox mentioned in MindsEye, stating that she doesn't see the contradiction.

As IO Interactive continues to work on its own projects, including the upcoming Bond origin story 007 First Light, the future of Build a Rocket Boy and MindsEye remains uncertain. One thing is for sure, the gaming community will be watching closely to see how this story unfolds.

When she's not writing about the latest games, Mollie Taylor can be found sweating out rhythm games, pretending to be good at fighting games, or spending money at her local arcade.