Build a Rocket Boy Workers Protest Lavish Fan Playtest Amid Mass Layoffs

Unionised former employees of MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) staged a protest outside the studio's offices on July 13, 2026, after the company allegedly hosted an all-expenses-paid fan playtest event at the same time as widespread layoffs. The protest was organised by the IWGB (Independent Workers' Great Britain) union, whose members and supporters accused BARB of gross mistreatment, calling the extravagant event a direct insult to the workers who had recently lost their jobs. Signs and chants from the demonstration described the situation as "a kick in the teeth for the fired workers."

The controversy centres on BARB's decision to fund an elaborate, fan-facing playtest while cutting staff, a combination that critics say starkly illustrates misplaced priorities by studio leadership. The IWGB framed the incident not as an isolated case but as symptomatic of broader mistreatment across the games industry, with the union stating that "shocking treatment from bosses is rife across the sector." The protest drew significant attention to the struggles of laid-off game workers and renewed calls for stronger labour protections in the industry.

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