Heart Machine, the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, has laid off nearly everyone at the company after a publisher pulled funding for an unannounced project. Founder Alx Preston announced the cuts on LinkedIn, saying the studio had been working on a title funded by a publisher that decided this week to stop moving forward with it.
The decision left the studio without its key income source and any immediate prospects or other funds. Preston said nearly everyone at the studio had to be laid off. “It’s devastating,” he wrote.
Preston’s announcement
Preston framed the news bluntly. “I have very difficult news today,” he wrote. He described the studio’s position as dire, with no clear path forward.
He promised support for the affected staff. “Everyone will be provided with as much support as possible, including assisting with placement,” he said. He asked readers to help by reaching out about open roles for extraordinarily talented, kind people, and said the studio would coordinate.
Preston also warned that the studio’s future is uncertain. He said the studio will keep pushing to find a path, but admitted he’s “not sure yet what’s next for Heart Machine to survive.”
The unannounced game
The project that collapsed was an unannounced title. Preston did not name the publisher involved, nor did he describe the game itself beyond calling it an unannounced title.
The publisher decided this week to no longer move forward with the project. That decision triggered the layoffs.
A history of ups and downs
Heart Machine’s story spans more than a decade. Its debut game, Hyper Light Drifter, launched in 2016 to critical and commercial success. The studio followed that with Solar Ash in 2022, which did not meet quite the same acclaim.
The studio ran into trouble a few years later. It ended development of Hyper Light Breaker while it was still in early access and laid off employees. Released just after those layoffs, the action-platformer Possessor(s) earned “mostly positive” reviews on Steam, but not very many of them.
The pattern is clear. The studio’s fortunes have swung between highs and lows, with each low bringing layoffs.
The staff situation
Preston said nearly everyone at the studio had to be laid off. That is a severe blow for a small studio.
The support package includes assistance with placement. Preston encouraged readers to reach out about open roles for extraordinarily talented, kind people, and said the studio would coordinate.
The wider picture
Heart Machine has faced financial pressure before. The studio’s history shows a pattern of success followed by difficulty.
The 2016 launch of Hyper Light Drifter set the studio’s course. The 2022 release of Solar Ash did not reach the same heights. The end of Hyper Light Breaker and the layoffs that followed were a setback.
Now the studio faces another challenge. The publisher’s decision to pull funding has left the studio without a clear path forward.
Key facts
- Game: Hyper Light Drifter (2016), Solar Ash (2022), Possessor(s), Hyper Light Breaker
- Studio founder: Alx Preston
- Announcement: LinkedIn post
- Publisher: Unnamed
- Layoffs: Nearly everyone at the studio
Timeline of major events
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Hyper Light Drifter launches, critical and commercial success |
| 2022 | Solar Ash arrives, mixed acclaim |
| ? | Development of Hyper Light Breaker ends in early access |
| ? | Layoffs occur after Hyper Light Breaker cancellation |
| ? | Possessor(s) released, mostly positive reviews |
| ? | Publisher pulls funding for unannounced title |
| ? | Nearly everyone at the studio laid off |
What this means for players
Players who enjoyed Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash now face an uncertain future for the studio. The studio’s fate now rests on finding new funding or new projects.
Preston’s LinkedIn post is the only statement from the company so far.
The studio’s legacy
Hyper Light Drifter remains the high point of the studio’s career. Its 2016 launch set the studio’s course.
Solar Ash did not reach the same heights. Hyper Light Breaker never saw completion. Possessor(s) received mostly positive reviews.
Whether the studio continues depends on what comes next.
A note on reporting
This report is based on Preston’s LinkedIn post and the studio’s public statements.
The situation remains unresolved. Preston has not announced a new plan for the studio.
Final thoughts
Heart Machine has been through this before. It survived the end of Hyper Light Breaker and the layoffs that followed. It survived the mixed reception of Solar Ash.
But this time the stakes are higher. The studio has lost its funding for an unannounced project, and nearly everyone at the studio has been laid off.
Preston’s message is grim but hopeful. He is keeping the door open, but he admits he is not sure what comes next for Heart Machine to survive.
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