IO Interactive has cast serious doubt on the future of its external publishing initiatives following the catastrophic launch of MindsEye, a title once hyped as a potential competitor to Grand Theft Auto. MindsEye represented the debut publication from IOI Partners, the company's external publishing division, and its failure has placed the entire subsidiary's existence in jeopardy.

IOI Partners was established in 2024 as part of Hitman developer IO Interactive's strategy to expand into game publishing and support external studios. The label's inaugural project, MindsEye from Scottish developer Build a Rocket Boy, was intended to demonstrate their serious commitment to publishing. With former GTA developer Leslie Benzies leading MindsEye and marketing that positioned it as an ambitious sci-fi shooter with live-service potential, expectations were sky-high for the game to become a major success.

Instead, MindsEye launched in June to overwhelmingly negative reviews and significant player backlash, quickly becoming one of the most notable failures in recent gaming history. Critics universally panned MindsEye for its mediocre narrative, short gameplay duration, and numerous technical problems, with the game currently ranking among the worst-rated titles of this console generation. IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak has now publicly addressed MindsEye's commercial performance. In a recent IGN interview, Abrak acknowledged the reception was "undeniably challenging" and fell far short of expectations for both IO Interactive and Build a Rocket Boy.

While Abrak commended Build a Rocket Boy's creative vision for MindsEye, he remained decidedly noncommittal regarding IOI Partners' future, stating only: "IO Interactive will continue publishing our internal games. As for IOI Partners? That outcome remains uncertain." This statement raises significant concerns, suggesting that IO Interactive is thoroughly reassessing its third-party publishing strategy after the disastrous performance of MindsEye. Game publishing and marketing represent substantial financial investments, and in MindsEye's case, the potential losses for IOI Partners could be considerable.

It's important to note that Abrak's comments don't definitively confirm IOI Partners' closure. The publishing division might scale back its ambitions and focus on smaller projects from emerging indie developers, which would reduce financial exposure while potentially bringing innovative games to market. A recent successful example of this approach was Dunkey-published Animal Well, which launched in May 2024 to critical acclaim and enthusiastic player reception.