Hyper Light Drifter Maker Heart Machine Lays Off ‘Nearly Everyone’

Heart Machine, an indie developer known for games like Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash, has laid off most of its staff, according to studio head Alx Preston. Preston took to LinkedIn to share the news that the studio was working on a game that was funded by an unnamed publisher, but after that publisher dropped out this week, Heart Machine didn’t have the resources to keep its staff onboard.

Preston doesn’t indicate that the studio will shut down, however, simply stating “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.”

Here’s Preston’s full statement.

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 came onto the scene in 2016 with Hyper Light Drifter, which was self-published and funded by a Kickstarter that raised over $600,000. We loved it, scoring it a 9.5 in our review. Its following game, Solar Ash did well, but made less of a splash. Hyper Light Breaker, Heart Machine’s 3D multiplayer roguelike follow-up to Hyper Light Drifter, launched in early access in 2025 to relatively negative reviews. After layoffs in October 2025, that game’s development ended, and it never got a proper 1.0 release. Most recently, it put out a Metroidvania called Possessor(s), which currently has a 71 on Metacritic, but that launch was preceded by a second wave of layoffs, also in October of 2025. You can read Game Informer‘s Possessor(s) review at the link. Taking place just under a year later, today’s layoffs feel like one more nail in Heart Machine’s proverbial coffin.

Being an indie studio is hard right now. Just this year, Oxenfree developer Night School Studio, Wanderstop developer Ivy Road, and Moss developer Polyarc all shut down.