GTA Scriptwriter Unveils MindsEye: A Narrative-Driven Action Series Featuring Robots and Drones

Leslie Benzies, former president of Rockstar North (the main studio of Rockstar) and the producer of GTA from 3-5, departed from Rockstar in 2016. His new studio, Build A Rocket Boy, is gearing up to release its first project, MindsEye. This single-player action-packed game with a cinematic flair features high-speed car chases in a sprawling city amid a sandy sea (clearly reminiscent of GTA). What sets it apart is the futuristic setting where humans coexist with robots in society (a blend of GTA, robots, and drones). The game is being published by IO Interactive, the creators of Hitman, and has announced a release date of June 10, 2025, on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S.

Benzies himself will direct MindsEye, with some team members following him from Rockstar North, including Adam Whiting, the assistant director. In an interview with Eurogamer, Whiting stated that MindsEye’s goal is to bring back the single-player narrative-driven experience popular in the 2010s’ era of filmmaking to the gaming industry. He acknowledged that after the success of GTA 5, this genre took a back seat as the market shifted towards open-world exploration games, user-generated content (UGC), Battle Royale shooters, or live service model games, causing the narrative-driven single-player games like Uncharted or God of War to fade away.

MindsEye caters to this traditional market demand. The game is not lengthy, lasting only 15 hours, with a straightforward storyline. While the in-game world appears open-world, it’s not entirely open-ended. Whiting explained that MindsEye excels in storytelling, pacing, character development, where players can fully immerse themselves just like watching a compelling movie.

TLDR: Leslie Benzies left Rockstar North and founded Build A Rocket Boy, which is releasing MindsEye – a narrative-driven single-player game with a cinematic touch set in a futuristic world where humans and robots coexist. The game offers a compact 15-hour experience focusing on storytelling, character development, and immersive gameplay.