IO Interactive, the developer of Hitman, has announced that it will take on publishing projects for MindsEye, the big-budget action outing in the works from former Rockstar executive Leslie Benzies.
The development of MindsEye, at Benzies’ own Develop A Rocket Boy studio, has been shrouded in secrecy since it was announced as a detail of In Every Place: the company’s fight on a Fortnite or Roblox dueling launchpad.
Interestingly, today’s announcement makes a negative connection to In Everywhere, rather than a design at the base of IO’s press release saying “MindsEye is a world everywhere,” suggesting some connection between the two. Additional beta version of the platform is suggested on each venue’s online website. Eurogamer has contacted Develop A Rocket Boy for an update.
For now, at least, it appears that MindsEye is being pushed at a central level. IO describes it as a “highly anticipated AAA, story-driven action-adventure cinematic thriller” created by Benzies, who held a key position at GTA maker Rockstar before his difficult resignation in 2016.
“Since day one, Build A Rocket Boy Studios has been focused on creating the next generation of engaging games and quality entertainment experiences,” Benzies said in a recent comment.
“We can’t wait to share our first premium AAA game and our ever-evolving universe, MindsEye, with the world. There is no better partner than IO Interactive to publish our first title, with their strong knowledge of community culture and premium action games. adventures and a top-notch editorial team, we are looking forward to partnering with them on our new blockbuster journey.”
Gamer visited Develop a Rocket Boy’s flagship Edinburgh studio early in the day, when In Everywhere was visible as the studio’s main focal point. A game creation platform built using Unreal Engine seemed aspiring, if cleverly funded with cash from investor NetEase.
Benzies’ recent description of MindsEye being an ever-evolving universe could be seen from what he said with me earlier that the game is episodic, with other chapters including additional gameplay methods. (The relationship with In Every Place, here, used to be that the game’s elements and gameplay would be more available for players to form their own comments on the use of those parts.)
Develop A Rocket Boy was first founded in 2016 and has a network of studios around the world in Edinburgh, Budapest, Montpellier and China. Beyond the negative news lately about when we’ll see MindsEye set up shop, a 2025 installation would of course see the studio abandon its first project in the nearest nine years. (Interestingly, the setting would also align with GTA 6.)
Before this point, the studio showed it had suffered global job losses, an hour closer to completing a new $110 million investment round.
