Heart Machine Threatened with Shutdown After Publishing Agreement Falls Apart, Majority of Team Laid Off
Heart Machine, the indie studio behind the critically acclaimed Hyper Light Drifter, now faces the very real prospect of closing its doors after a pivotal publishing partnership collapsed. The loss of that deal removed a vital revenue stream, leaving the company without the financial cushion it had been relying on to keep operations running.
Alx Preston, the studio’s founder and chief executive,…
Sept. 17, 2026, 8:39 a.m.