Heart Machine, Developer of Hyper Light Drifter, Announces Staff Layoffs

US-based game development studio Heart Machine has become the latest victim of industry-wide layoffs, with the company confirming a reduction in its workforce. Although the exact number of affected employees and departments remains unclear, the studio has pledged to provide comprehensive support to those impacted, including severance packages and continued healthcare coverage for several months. Furthermore, Heart Machine has committed to honoring revenue-sharing agreements and crediting the contributions of former staff members. Despite the layoffs, the studio's community and PR manager has emphasized that the upcoming early access launch of Hyper Light Breaker, a procedurally generated open-world roguelite, will proceed as planned. In fact, a successful launch is expected to create new opportunities for those affected by the layoffs as the game continues to evolve throughout its early access phase. The launch of Hyper Light Breaker is currently slated for 2025, with the studio's other project, Possessor(s), also reportedly unaffected by the recent layoffs.