MindsEye Campaign Lasts 20 Hours, and Creator Leslie Benzies Says That’s the Point
MindsEye, the upcoming action-adventure game from Build a Rocket Boy, has drawn early comparisons to Grand Theft Auto – unsurprising, given that the studio is led by Leslie Benzies, the former president of Rockstar North and a longtime figure behind the GTA franchise. But as more details emerge, it’s becoming clear that MindsEye is carving out its own path, starting with a noticeably shorter campaign length.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Benzies confirmed that MindsEye’s main story can be completed in around 20 hours. That revelation has tempered expectations among gamers hoping for a sprawling open-world experience. However, Benzies insists that the decision was deliberate – and strategic.
“We’ve found that the majority of players – about 60 to 70 percent – never actually finish large games,” he explained. “So rather than build a 200-hour game that most people won’t complete, we wanted to create something that players can finish while still experiencing the full emotional arc.”
The story of MindsEye follows Jacob Diaz through a pivotal moment in his life, set in the fictional city of Redrock. According to Benzies, the narrative’s structure wouldn’t have worked in a traditional open-world format.
“Open world gives you freedom – but that freedom can dilute the storytelling,” he said. “For Jacob’s journey, we needed a focused, linear approach. You meet him when he arrives in Redrock, and you leave him at a defined point later on. That wouldn’t have translated well in an open world.”
Despite its compact campaign, MindsEye won’t end with the credits. The game will receive ongoing content updates, including both free and paid expansions. Multiplayer functionality and an eventual open-world mode are also in development, though no timeline has been announced.
MindsEye is the first title from Build a Rocket Boy and is set for worldwide release on June 10.
