Union Members Launch Legal Action Against Build A Rocket Boy Following Layoffs
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – November 21, 2023 – Members of the newly formed union at build A Rocket Boy (BARB) have announced legal action against the studio following recent layoffs. The move comes after months of reported mistreatment of workers, culminating in a significant reduction in staff earlier this month.
The union, affiliated with iamance, alleges unfair dismissal and failure to follow proper consultation procedures during the layoffs. A statement released by iamance reads: “The treatment that workers at Build A Rocket Boy have been facing in the past twelve months has been shocking. They have been routinely belittled, cheated, and manipulated by the company they dedicated years of their lives to. Despite this, they were able to keep trust in each other and work together to fight for fair treatment.”
The statement further criticizes the leadership of BARB, specifically naming founder Leslie Benzies and Mark gerhard. “It’s scary to think that 10 years ago, other executives like Leslie Benzies and Mark Gerhard could treat their workers like this and face zero repercussions.I’m proud to say that that’s not the case anymore. Through the union, these workers have been able to force the executives at BARB to respect their rights. let this serve as a notice to other executives like Mark and Leslie: the games industry is not the wild West anymore. You don’t get to pretend that employment laws don’t apply to your company as if you do, then the union will be ther to stop you.”
Build A Rocket Boy was founded in 2018 by Benzies, previously studio head at Rockstar North and a key figure in the advancement of the Grand Theft Auto series, after his departure from Rockstar in 2016 following the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5. The studio’s debut title, MindsEye, was intended as the first installment in a larger, interconnected universe. In a May interview with GamesIndustry.biz,Benzies described MindsEye as “bang in the middle of our story,” with plans to explore timelines 10,000 years in the past and future.
Post-launch plans for MindsEye included multiplayer functionality and the integration of the previously announced user-generated content platform, Everywhere. though, to date, updates have been limited to performance patches and additional missions.
Concerns regarding working conditions at BARB were previously voiced by studio employee McparlinJones in an august interview with GamesIndustry.biz. “You can ask anyone in the industry, and they will agree that the industry as it is structured at the moment is not sustainable,” McparlinJones stated. “With the waves of layoffs, the way that people are overworked, everyone agrees that there is a systemic problem. And no one seems to have a solution.”
The legal action initiated by the union represents a significant challenge for Build A Rocket Boy as it navigates a turbulent period in its development.
