IO Interactive splits with MindsEye developer and ends Hitman collab

MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) has gone through serious drama recently including layoffs and accusations of sabotage. Now, the company is parting ways with its MindsEye co-publisher IOI Partners (the company behind Hitman publisher IO Interactive) and assuming sole publishing responsibilities going forward. It also means that a planned MindsEye and Hitman collaboration will be cancelled, the companies announced in a press release.

“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,” the companies stated. “In light of this separation, the Hitman mission announced in June 2025, planned as a crossover event within MindsEye, will no longer be released.” They acknowledged that the announcement is likely to spur disappointment among funs and thanked the community for its support.

The publishing deal was a first for IOI partners and looked promising, considering the pedigree of BARB’s co-CEO Leslie Benzies as a former Rockstar North president and GTA producer. However, MindsEye was widely criticized upon release due to bugs, a lackluster story and mediocre gameplay.

At the same time, employees penned an open letter accusing Benzies of mismanaging the game and bungling layoffs. In response, Benzies and co-CEO Mark Gerhard said that negative pre-release feedback came about to due internal and external sabotage, a claim that employees reportedly doubted. In any case, BARB is now on its own and has a tall order to save MindsEye, particularly after recent layoffs.