Heart Machine (Hyper Light) lays off nearly everyone after publisher pulled funding

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Insider Gaming reports Heart Machine — developer of Hyper Light Drifter, Hyper Light Breaker, and Solar Ash — laid off nearly everyone after a publisher pulled funding for an unannounced project, founder Alx Preston announced on LinkedIn. Preston described the layoffs as “devastating” and said the studio’s future is unclear while his immediate priority is supporting affected staff, Insider Gaming wrote. The report says the publisher’s decision removed a key source of income for the studio, which is best known for critically acclaimed pixel art titles. The article did not provide the publisher’s identity, the unannounced project’s details, or an exact headcount of those laid off.

• What happened: Insider Gaming reports Heart Machine laid off nearly everyone after a publisher pulled funding for an unannounced project, a development founder Alx Preston announced on LinkedIn.
• Why it matters: The pulled funding reportedly removed a key source of income for the studio, leaving staff displaced and the company’s future unclear, per Insider Gaming.
• Context: Insider Gaming notes Heart Machine is the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, Hyper Light Breaker, and Solar Ash, and referenced prior studio layoffs coverage from 2024; the new report frames the most recent cuts as “devastating,” per Preston.
• What next: Preston said his immediate priority is supporting affected employees and the studio will strive for stability, but Insider Gaming reports it remains unconfirmed whether the studio will survive and key details about the publisher and project have not been disclosed.