MindsEye Wants You to Build the Future of Gaming

MindsEye is shaping up to be one of the boldest releases of 2025-not just for its tight narrative or sleek third-person gameplay, but for its ambitious vision of letting players help shape the universe. Director Leslie Benzies, known for redefining game design in the past, appeared on IGN Live to talk about the philosophy behind the game-and it’s clear: MindsEye isn’t just a story, it’s a platform.

Though not a traditional open world, Benzies explained that MindsEye integrates a layered approach to freedom through its Build MindsEye system.

“We want to avoid story clutter,” he said, referencing the awkward dissonance that sometimes comes with open-world distractions. “You don’t want to be bowling for two days while the world is ending.”

Instead, the game gives players tools-real tools. As you explore the world or engage in missions, you can stop and build anything you want on the spot. It’s streamlined, intuitive, and fast. “We made it so you can build something decent in under two minutes,” Benzies said. The aim isn’t just fun-it’s empowerment. “We want to push it toward people who want to make games.”

In fact, the very tools used to craft MindsEye are the same tools players will use. “Anything we could build using the tool, we would. And now we’re giving it to the players,” he said. It’s part game, part creative engine, blurring the line between dev and player.

This isn’t just a gimmick to generate content. While curated builds will be featured at launch, the ultimate goal is to hand over the keys to the community. “Eventually, we want the players to decide how they play, how they earn, and what they create. We don’t want to dictate that.”

The vision goes beyond just this release. Benzies revealed MindsEye is only the beginning of a much larger universe, akin to Star Wars in its scale and narrative sprawl. “We have many stories in different time periods, all in the same universe,” he said. Multiplayer features are on the horizon, with a major expansion planned for next year.

Still, the announcement hasn’t come without criticism. Some see it as a move to offload content creation to unpaid fans. But Benzies counters that this is about inclusion, inspiration, and building a playground for the next generation of game creators.

If MindsEye delivers on its promise, it won’t just be a game-it could be a creative movement. But time will tell whether it’s a revolution or just another experiment in gaming history.