MindsEye - A Masterclass In How Not To Launch A AAA Game
500You've probably heard by now, but MindsEye, Build A Rocket Boy's debut title, had a disastrous launch. Optimization problems, numerous bugs and glitches, refunds being issued by PlayStation - the works. It's interesting to examine what went wrong because, despite the pedigree of its director and the studio's hype, there were plenty of worrying indicators.
The lack of gameplay footage since its reveal, which only arrived less than a month before launch. The departure of high-profile executives from the studio. Review copies not being sent out before launch. Of course, it also didn't help that whatever footage Build A Rocket Boy showcased didn't really paint MindsEye as this compelling single-player action-adventure. Don't even get us started on the "faux open world."
Regardless of how hyped it was or not, you start wondering not about what happened but how things could go wrong to this extent. Let's dive into it and remember some valuable lessons about gameplay development, marketing, and why sleek cutscenes aren't everything.