Heart Machine, the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, has laid off nearly all of its staff after a publisher cancelled the unannounced game it was funding.
The news came from founder Alx Preston in a post on LinkedIn on 16 September.
The post does not name the publisher, the project, or how many people have lost their jobs.
It also does not say the studio has closed. Preston’s own wording leaves that question open.
The mechanism at issue is a common one for independent studios. A publisher funds development of a title, and that funding pays the salaries of the people making it.
When the publisher withdraws, the income stops on the day the decision is made, regardless of how far along the game is.
Preston described exactly that situation. The full statement, as reproduced by Gematsu, reads in part:
“I have very difficult news today. We had been working on an unannounced title, funded by a publisher. This week, they decided to no longer move forward with it. Without this key income for the studio, any other immediate prospects or other funds, nearly everyone at the studio had to be laid off. It’s devastating.”
The statement identifies three things the studio no longer has: the publisher’s income, any other immediate prospects, and any other funds.
It identifies the timing precisely. The publisher’s decision was made in the same week as the post.
He went on to address the staff affected, and anyone in a position to hire them.
“Everyone will be provided with as much support as possible, including assisting with placement. If you know of any roles for extraordinarily talented, kind people, please reach out and we will coordinate.”
On the studio’s future, the statement is not definitive. It says that “navigating an increasingly challenging industry has been extremely difficult”, and that Preston is not yet sure what comes next for Heart Machine.
Outlets quoting the post have rendered that final passage slightly differently. The wording above is the portion on which Gematsu and Kotaku agree.
Preston founded Heart Machine in 2013 in Culver City, California, according to the studio’s Wikipedia entry.
Its first game, Hyper Light Drifter, was self-published in 2016.
Solar Ash followed with Annapurna Interactive as publisher.
Hyper Light Breaker, published by Arc Games, was announced on 31 March 2022 for release in 2023.
It was delayed to 2024 in an announcement on 22 March 2023, and later entered Early Access.
Development on it ended in October 2025, while it was still in Early Access, with a final update planned by January 2026.
The same month, Heart Machine laid off a number of staff. The figure was not made public.
Possessor(s), published by Devolver Digital, launched in 2025.
PC Gamer reports that its sales were limited.
Kotaku also notes that the studio’s short-lived move to Patreon support was shut down earlier this year.
This week’s cuts therefore follow a run of reductions that began almost a year ago, and the loss of a funded project removes what Preston describes as the studio’s key income.
Heart Machine is not the only studio in that position this week. On the same day, VGC reported that MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy may be closing, citing other reports.
Heart Machine has not published a timeline for any decision on the studio’s future.
The post makes no mention of any change to the availability of Hyper Light Drifter, Solar Ash or Possessor(s).
The post also thanks the people who worked at the studio, and its players.
“Thank you so so much to all of the incredible people who contributed their efforts and talents to making amazing things at the studio. Thank you to our amazing community and fans.”
Alx Preston on LinkedIn – Heart Machine layoffs statement, Gematsu – full statement, PC Gamer – Hyper Light Breaker and Possessor(s) context, Kotaku – statement and Patreon, Wikipedia – Heart Machine studio history, VGC – Build a Rocket Boy reports