Mindseye Launch Stumbles: Bugs, Performance Issues, and Player Backlash
The new video game “Mindseye” has been on the market since June 10, 2025 – a title that has raised high expectations in advance. Developed by the Scottish studio “Build a Rocket Boy” under the direction of Leslie Benzies, the former Rockstar North president and “GTA” veteran, and published by IO Interactive, “Mindseye” was intended to set new standards as a cinematic action-adventure and as a figurehead for the gaming platform “Everywhere”. But the start was anything but smooth.
Like many other media houses, we have not yet received a test code and therefore cannot yet offer our own review. While this is not uncommon in the industry, it is causing irritation in view of the current discussions and the large number of reports of technical problems.
How is "Mindseye" received by international critics?
The first reactions are predominantly negative. Especially on Steam, there is a hail of “mostly negative” reviews. Massive performance problems, bugs, crashes and an overall lack of polish are criticized.
Many players report stuttering animations, faulty NPCs and crashes – even on powerful PCs. The game also performs below average on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, although the ratings there are slightly better, but still restrained.
What does the developer say about the problems?
The development team has publicly apologized for the problems and announced that a first performance patch for PC will be released this week, with console updates to follow soon. The developers promise a series of updates to improve the gaming experience.
Have there been any refunds, especially on PlayStation?
So far, we are not aware of any reports of a refund wave on the PlayStation. Sony’s return policy for digital games is notoriously strict: a refund is usually only possible if the game has not been downloaded or launched. However, due to the technical problems, individual applications for goodwill could be submitted. An example has appeared on Reddit where a user demands a refund of the pre-order costs. Playstation support replied that the situation is currently being investigated. And of course, the user is right: This is colossally reminiscent of the great “Cyberpunk 2077” disaster.
On Steam, on the other hand, where the return policy is more generous, some players may have already made use of it – but we don’t have concrete figures.
Why haven't review copies been sent?
That also remains unclear. Many media companies and influencers did not get access to test versions before the release. In the community, this is considered a “red flag”, as it is often an indication that publishers are expecting a negative response. The developers themselves have not yet commented on this.
What's next for "Mindseye"?
The development team says it is working “around the clock” on improvements. The first hotfix has already been announced for PC players, with further updates to follow. Whether and when the game can meet the high expectations remains to be seen.
“Mindseye” has given players worldwide hope for a GTA-like game that will make the wait for “GTA VI” a little shorter. Instead, however, “Mindseye” is another game that has failed for the time being due to its own claim and technical problems at launch. We will continue to monitor the development and submit our own review if we do get a test copy.