Heart Machine, Developer of Hyper Light Drifter, Lays Off “Nearly Everyone”

Heart Machine, the celebrated independent development studio behind acclaimed titles such as Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash, has been forced to lay off the vast majority of its workforce, according to studio director Alx Preston. Writing on LinkedIn, Preston revealed that an unnamed publishing partner abruptly withdrew financial backing for an unannounced project earlier this week, stripping the studio of the capital required to keep its team employed.

While Preston stopped short of confirming a complete studio closure, the future remains perilously uncertain. “I’m not sure yet what’s next for Heart Machine to survive,” Preston wrote. “However, we’ll keep pushing to build a path while we are still here.”

Below is Preston’s full, heartfelt statement regarding the crisis:

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.

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.

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.

Navigating an increasingly challenging industry has been extremely difficult, and I’m not sure yet what’s next for Heart Machine to survive. However, we’ll keep pushing to build a path while we are still here.

Heart Machine first captured the gaming industry’s attention in 2016 with Hyper Light Drifter, a critically acclaimed passion project successfully brought to life via a Kickstarter campaign that amassed over $600,000. Earning a glowing 9.5 out of 10 in our review, it set a high benchmark for the studio. Although subsequent projects like Solar Ash found an audience, they achieved more modest commercial success. The studio’s 3D roguelike follow-up, Hyper Light Breaker, faced a turbulent early access launch in 2025 that ultimately led to the cancellation of its full 1.0 release following initial layoffs last October. Most recently, the studio released the Metroidvania title Possessor(s)—which currently holds a 71 on Metacritic—though its launch was similarly marred by a second wave of workforce reductions in late October 2025. Read Game Informer’s full review of Possessor(s) for deeper insights. Coming barely a year later, today’s catastrophic cuts feel like a devastating blow to the developer’s enduring legacy.

The independent games sector continues to endure an exceptionally brutal climate. Heart Machine joins a growing casualty list of esteemed studios facing closure this year, alongside Oxenfree creator Night School Studio, Wanderstop developer Ivy Road, and Moss creator Polyarc.

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