Heart Machine hit by more layoffs again
Heart Machine, the developer behind Hyper Light Drifter, Solar Ash, and Hyper Light Breaker, is facing a second round of layoffs less than a month after its first, according to multiple former staff members. The studio is now fewer than two weeks away from launching its next game, Possessor(s), on November 11.
At least four ex-employees confirmed on Bluesky that they were let go in this latest round. One shared a video stating that so many staff have been cut that few, if any, who worked on Possessor(s) may remain at the company by launch day. Another said their role would end after the game ships and that they would begin job hunting in December. One affected developer had been with the studio for nearly six years.
This marks Heart Machine’s third round of layoffs in under a year. The studio halted development on Hyper Light Breaker earlier in October and has not issued a new statement since. Known for its influential indie titles over the past decade, the studio’s future now appears uncertain as it struggles to release Possessor(s) amid mounting instability.
