GTA Legend Returns: Leslie Benzies Reveals His Next Big Universe with MindsEye

Leslie Benzies, the legendary producer behind Grand Theft Auto titles from GTA 3 through to GTA 5, as well as Red Dead Redemption, is back with a new studio, Build A Rocket Boy (BARB), and a brand new game, MindsEye. Launching on June 10, 2025, MindsEye is much more than just a single-player shooter; it’s the stepping stone into a vast, interconnected universe the studio plans to build over the next decade, featuring powerful tools for players to create their own experiences.

Here’s what you need to know:

• MindsEye is the start: It’s one story in a huge planned universe.
• Player Power: It comes with robust tools for players to build their own levels, missions, and even entire game modes.
• Everywhere is linked: The studio’s previously teased project, Everywhere, is part of this same larger world and will reappear.
• Focused Design: The main game is linear (~20 hours) to tell a specific story effectively, offering value without unnecessary filler.

Unpacking the Vision: MindsEye and Beyond

MindsEye is set in a city called Redrock, styled after Las Vegas, and follows a former soldier named Jacob Diaz in a techno-thriller story. While the initial release is a single-player third-person shooter with vehicle sections, Leslie Benzies sees it as just the opening act.

Leslie Benzies, creator of Grand Theft Auto, founder of Build A Rocket Boy

Benzies explains that MindsEye tells “one story in an epic universe.” Future stories will unfold in different time periods and locations within this universe, connecting to form one overarching narrative. Each new story might introduce different gameplay mechanics, which will then be made available to players through the creation tools.

Build Your Own World: The Power of Build.MindsEye

A major focus for BARB is the player-generated content platform, called Build.MindsEye. Available to PC players, this platform provides intuitive tools that let users incorporate any object from the game to design their own experiences.

Think beyond just building shooter levels. Developers showcased examples like dramatically scaling up a basketball and creating a functional in-game version of Rocket League. The vision is to make it incredibly easy for players to build their own games, from small missions to complex open worlds. Benzies envisions players driving around the world, stopping when inspiration strikes, building a mission, and continuing on – eventually assembling their own full open-world game piece by piece.

This creation aspect is designed to be more accessible than some existing platforms. While acknowledging the popularity of tools like those in Roblox or Unreal Engine (UEFN), BARB aims for a sweet spot where creating high-quality, fun games is straightforward, even for those without programming backgrounds.

Continuous Evolution: Post-Launch Plans

BARB plans to support MindsEye extensively after its June 2025 launch through “Play.MindsEye,” promising a continuous stream of new content. While some might be fun additions like races, most will be woven into the expanding universe narrative.

Crucially, the studio has plans to add multiplayer and a full open-world experience after the initial single-player launch. The open-world multiplayer game is scheduled for release a year after MindsEye concludes, with a free-roam open-world game bridging the gap. All these separate experiences will connect narratively, offering players different viewpoints within the same large story.

The Everywhere Connection

Fans might recall Build A Rocket Boy’s earlier, more ambitious project, Everywhere. Benzies confirms that Everywhere is not gone but is part of this same ecosystem and will reappear soon. He describes it as fitting into the “bigger story” and ecosystem they’ve planned. The powerful building tools are designed to work across all these different experiences, allowing for thematic and narrative connections throughout the expanding universe.

MindsEye game screenshot showing a character looking out over a city

Design Choices: Why Linear? Why Not a GTA Competitor?

Given Benzies’ background in massive open-world games, the decision to make MindsEye a linear, narrative-driven experience for its core story stands out. Benzies explains this choice is deliberate: certain stories, like Jacob Diaz’s specific journey arriving and leaving Redrock at set points, are best told linearly to maintain focus and impact. He notes that open-world freedom isn’t always ideal for tightly controlled narratives, though open-world modes and future games are part of the larger plan.

As for directly competing with the series he helped build, Benzies is pragmatic. He states it wouldn’t have been “smart as a company” to try and take on the biggest game on the planet head-on. Instead, they designed a game that best serves their unique story and vision for an interconnected universe with player creation at its heart.

Pricing and Length Philosophy: Focus on ‘Meat’

MindsEye will launch at a $60 price point, offering around 20 hours for the main campaign. Benzies believes this length provides value, focusing on delivering a compelling core experience without filler. He points out that a significant percentage of players don’t finish extremely long games anyway. The goal is a game that’s completable while offering plenty of additional content and the entire creation suite for those who want more. The $60 price, he feels, is reasonable value in the current economic climate.

In-game scene from MindsEye featuring the protagonist Jacob Diaz in a futuristic setting

The Benzies Effect: Expectations and Excitement

With a name like Leslie Benzies attached, the game automatically draws significant attention and expectations. He acknowledges this is a double-edged sword, leading to comparisons with his previous work. However, he hopes players will appreciate MindsEye and the broader ecosystem for what it is: the first step in a vast, evolving universe built with powerful player tools, driven by a team passionate about creating new experiences.

MindsEye launches on PC and consoles on June 10, 2025. It promises to be the foundation for a unique blend of curated narrative and expansive player creativity, kicking off a story that Build A Rocket Boy plans to tell and expand upon for years to come.

Key art or logo for MindsEye game