Questions linger regarding MindsEye's rushed release
The big picture
'A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad' – a quote that still resonates in the games industry. Nowhere is that more evident than in the release of action-adventure open-world title MindsEye.
This highly touted game from ex-Rockstar Games producer Leslie Benzies's studio, Build A Rocket, promised a rich single-player narrative and ongoing user-generated content post-launch.
It was released on June 10, with not a single reviewer in the world receiving an early copy before launch – usually a red flag.
Sure enough, both early and late impressions from reviewers and content creators were largely negative. The game was buggy, unstable, and riddled with technical issues involving performance and artificial intelligence (AI). Its story also ended abruptly.
A large number of PlayStation owners refunded the game en masse – the last time this happened on such a scale was during Cyberpunk 2077's troubled PlayStation 4 launch in 2020.
The developers are now scrambling to patch the title, likely over the next several weeks, as it is – to quote the community – 'a car on fire'. It simply should not have been released in its current state, even with this relatively quiet sales window before the second half of 2025.
This raises a few lingering questions:
Who exactly was asking for another open-world action-adventure title that isn't Grand Theft Auto?
Did the ex-Rockstar producer contribute meaningfully to the earlier GTA titles? A seasoned veteran wouldn't have allowed a game to launch in such a state.
Short beats
ASUS Republic of Gamers is teaming up with Xbox to produce the ROG Xbox Ally (standard and X versions), a portable PC launching this holiday season.
The Outer Worlds 2 will be released on Oct 30 and will cost US$80 – part of the ongoing trend of triple-A titles surpassing the US$60 mark.
The animated superhero series Invincible is getting its own fighting game in 2026, developed by the same team behind the acclaimed Killer Instinct reboot (2013).
Resident Evil Requiem (aka Resident Evil 9) is Capcom's next survival horror entry, launching Feb 26, 2026 for PC and consoles.
Nintendo Switch 2 has outsold the original Switch by 3-to-1 during its launch in Japan.
No Straight Roads 2, from Malaysian studio Metronomik, will be published in 2026 in collaboration with Shueisha Games.
Upin & Ipin, the beloved Malaysian children's show, is getting an action-adventure game adaptation due later this year.
Marvel Mystic Mayhem, a mobile strategy game, is coming to iOS and Android on June 25.
Konami is remaking the original Silent Hill with Bloober Team, which also handled the Silent Hill 2 remake.
Games out this week
Berserk Or Die is a 2D indie action game where you control a berserker slaying Roman legionnaires from both flanks using keyboard-based combo inputs.
MindsEye is an open-world action-adventure game by Build A Rocket, led by former GTA producer Leslie Benzies.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition is a remaster of the 2011 sci-fi action title.
Wizard of Legend 2 is a roguelite sequel featuring 3D visuals and new combinable magic spells.
Recommended viewing
Here's a funny comparison between Mindseye and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). Watch this insightful interview with RPG composer Yasunori Nishiki on crafting great game music.
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The Lemoyne Raiders The Skinner Brothers The Murfree Brood I won't deny that I indulged in a bit of vengeance now and then, especially when it came to the Lemoyne Raiders, the Skinner Brothers, or the Murfree Brood. Those irritating pests multiplied like cockroaches—no matter how many you took out, there were always more. That was fine by me. I had a bullet, an arrow, or a knife ready for each of them. And if all else failed, I'd trample them with my horse, turning them into a western-style speed bump. My Kingdom for a Horse When it comes to horses, it's hard not to develop a bond with your noble steed. It can be quite painful when your faithful companion meets an untimely demise, whether due to an enemy's actions or, in some instances, your own carelessness. Lesson: 'Never play the game when you are getting sleepy.' Right over the cliff. Opps…Sorry Buddy! Hopefully, you've acquired some Horse Revival tonic to bring your horse back from the brink of death. 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