MindsEye, the highly anticipated new title from Leslie Benzies—former producer of the GTA series and former president of Rockstar North—is aiming for a turnaround through self-publishing, a price cut, and a new story update. However, it appears to have a long way to go to win back the attention of fans who have already moved on.

Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) has released a new story update for MindsEye titled 'Blacklisted' and permanently reduced the game's price from $59.99 to $34.99. In Korea, the price has dropped from ₩63,000 to ₩36,500. These changes follow the company's split with its original service partner, IOI, and its transition to self-publishing.

The new 'Blacklisted' update, added in version 7.1, centers on a new playable character, Julia Black. The content focuses on Julia's mission to eliminate two key targets in Red Rock City, weaving a narrative of espionage and threats unfolding both inside and outside the agency.

As the patch number suggests, the game has undergone consistent content updates since its release. These updates reflect a commitment to improving the game's various bugs and poor build quality through ongoing post-launch support. While the overall Steam rating remains 'Mixed,' recent reviews have shifted to 'Mostly Positive.

Despite steady improvements, the player count remains a problem. Since recording 3,302 concurrent players in its first week last June, MindsEye has seen a continuous decline. Currently, daily peak concurrent players rarely exceed 50, a figure that has not changed significantly even after the update.

Before its release, MindsEye drew significant attention as the new project from Leslie Benzies, who led titles such as the GTA series, Manhunt, and L.A. Noire during his time at Rockstar Games. However, the developer's decision not to provide review copies before launch raised red flags, and the game was met with harsh criticism for being released in a near-unfinished state. It currently holds a Metacritic score of 39 and a user score of 2.6, ranking among the lowest-rated games released in 2025.

Controversies outside the game also persist. BARB leadership attributed the game's failure to internal sabotage by a small number of employees. In response, employees demanded an explanation from the company, claiming their basic dignity was violated by the unauthorized installation of employee monitoring software. The IWGB union also took issue with the matter and initiated legal action.

The recent price cut and new content demonstrate BARB's determination to survive after a disastrous launch. While there are success stories like No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk 2077, which overcame initial criticism through persistent post-launch support, the complex crisis facing MindsEye and BARB—which extends beyond mere technical issues—makes a similar comeback seem unlikely.