Heart Machine, the indie studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, has laid off nearly all its staff after its publisher withdrew funding for an unannounced game. Studio founder Alx Preston said the company lacks immediate prospects or funds to continue operations. "Right now, I'm not sure yet how or if Heart Machine survives," Preston wrote on LinkedIn. The studio promises to support affected employees with job placement assistance. Heart Machine found success with 2016's Hyper Light Drifter and 2021's Solar Ash. However, its Drifter sequel Hyper Light Breaker struggled in early access with Very Negative Steam reviews. The studio's 2025 release Possessor(s) failed to stabilise operations. Preston cited "an increasingly challenging industry" and asked the community to help connect laid-off developers with opportunities. The studio had already conducted layoffs earlier in 2025.

Heart Machine workers join CWA union following layoffs after Hyper Light Breaker launch. Monday, March 9th 2026 Heart Machine, the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, its spiritual successor, Solar Ash, and its actual successor, Hyper Light Breaker, recently implemented a round of layoffs following the launch of Hyper Light Breaker, and it appears this round of layoffs - the second in recent memory - has not been taken lightly by the remaining developers at the studio. According to a recent report by Game Developer, employees at Heart Machine have officially joined the CWA (Communication Workers of America) in a voluntary bargaining agreement in the name of job security and workers' rights. The union members are reportedly currently evaluating their priorities and what they plan to bargain for, but the developers at the studio say that the justification for joining the union is to be able to protect the craft and the creative collaboration that enables game designers and video game workers to create "something they'd want to play themselves." According to an announcement by The CWA, a majority of workers at Heart Machine signed the unionization agreement, meaning contracts at the studio will now be drawn up with CWA representation. Unionization has been something of a trend in recent years in the video game industry, with video game voice actors joining the protracted SAG-Aftra strike in 2024 and 2025 seeking protections against the exact sorts of layoffs that previously affected Heart Machine developers, in addition to protections against the AI systems currently taking over the gaming industry. 2025 also saw the launch of the United Video Game Workers' Union, which seeks similar protections against practices like layoffs in the name of profit. A recent video game industry survey also indicated that as many as 82% of video game workers support unionization, with younger workers responding even more positively. The news of Heart Machine joining the CWA also follows the announcement that EA is cutting an unspecified number of jobs at its Battlefield 6 studios.