MindsEye from Ex-GTA Boss Gets Imminent Release Date

Former Rockstar Games president and longtime Grand Theft Auto producer, Leslie Benzies, is gearing up to release his first game since GTA 5 and it’s called MindsEye. There are few video game studios as influential as Rockstar Games given how the studio has crafted ambitious open-worlds with cinematic stories. They take the best of what this medium has to offer and elevate it to the highest peak. While Rockstar Games is gearing up to release GTA 6 later this year, it will be the first GTA game Rockstar has released without a number of key veterans at its studio including co-founder Dan Houser, writer Lazlow, and former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies.

Benzies was credited as a producer on the bulk of Rockstar’s games from 2001 to 2013, with a key focus on the Grand Theft Auto series and the first Red Dead Redemption. He was a talented producer and game designer for the studio who had a very public breakup with Rockstar Games that resulted in a lawsuit. That all happened a decade ago now and Benzies has been quietly building a new studio known as Build a Rocket Boy, a place where he envisions an ambitious future for gaming. The studio has been building an advanced game called Everywhere for some time now and it’s similar to Roblox in the sense that it can host countless different games, including ones built by the player. However, it will also host Build a Rocket Boy’s own AAA games, such as MindsEye.

Ex-Rockstar President’s New Game, MindsEye, Gets New Trailer and June Release Date

MindsEye is the first traditional game from Build a Rocket Boy and Leslie Benzies and is sort of like GTA meets Cyberpunk 2077. While the team has downplayed it having a big open world on the level of GTA, it will have a rich, cinematic story that takes place in a well-thought out and immersive near future world, as depicted in the game’s latest story trailer. It looks like the game will deliver blockbuster action across big shootouts and epic car chases, which should scratch an itch for players this summer since we haven’t had a big GTA-like game in quite some time.

Earlier this year, the team had confirmed that the game would be releasing this summer and now we have a concrete release date. MindsEye will officially release as a $60 game for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on June 10th, ensuring it has ample time to be in the hands of players before GTA 6 releases. Those who pre-order MindsEye will also be given a free upgrade to the game’s digital deluxe edition, which offers access to skins, a gun, a horde mode mission, and future seasonal content.

“We can’t wait for players to immerse themselves in our tightly crafted game, MindsEye, with a thought-provoking story where technology and ambition collide, and the inevitable consequences unravel.” said Leslie Benzies

It’s great to see a game like this sneak up on players, especially since a lot of games get announced way too soon and then get delayed repeatedly. While MindsEye was officially revealed back in 2022, it largely receded back into the shadows until earlier this year when more info and footage started being shared by Build a Rocket Boy. It means the wait won’t be unbearable and should hopefully be a welcomed surprise.

The only direct competition MindsEye is going to have this summer is Mafia: The Old Country. As of right now, 2K has yet to put a date on its new Mafia game, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it drops just a few weeks after. However, the two will be quite different from each other as MindsEye is set in the near future and Mafia: The Old Country will take place in the early 1900s. So, perhaps these will almost serve as counter programming for each other. Ironically, actor Alex Hernandez plays MindsEye‘s lead character and previously played Lincoln Clay in Mafia 3 almost a decade ago.

What do you think of MindsEye? Will you be buying it on release? Let me know in the comments!