Heart Machine Announces Staff Layoffs at LA Indie Studio
▼ Summary
– Heart Machine is ending development on Hyper Light Breaker and laying off staff, though the number of affected employees is unspecified.
– The studio plans to release a final polished update in January 2025 before concluding the project, as it cannot realize the game’s original vision.
– Layoffs are attributed to broader external factors like funding shifts, corporate consolidation, and industry uncertainties affecting small studios.
– Hyper Light Breaker launched in early access on January 14, 2025, and currently holds a “mixed” rating on Steam from over 2,500 reviews.
– Heart Machine will continue operating with a smaller core team and has pledged support for the impacted staff members.
Los Angeles-based independent game developer Heart Machine has confirmed a significant reduction in its workforce, a move that coincides with the winding down of development for its early access title, Hyper Light Breaker. The studio issued a statement acknowledging the difficult decision to part ways with a number of employees, though it did not disclose the exact number of people affected.
This development arrives less than a year after Hyper Light Breaker launched into early access in January 2025. The game, an open-world online rogue-lite, has garnered a “mixed” reception on the Steam platform based on more than 2,500 user reviews. This is not the first time the studio has faced staff reductions; a previous round of layoffs occurred in November 2024. At that time, the company expressed hope that a successful launch for Hyper Light Breaker could potentially revive opportunities for those let go.
In its latest communication, Heart Machine cited “broader forces beyond our control” as the primary reason for the cuts. The studio pointed to a challenging environment for small developers, including shifts in funding, industry consolidation, and general market uncertainty. A spokesperson stated that while this was not the desired outcome, it became the only viable path forward given the circumstances.
Looking ahead, the studio has outlined its plans for the game’s final phase. The team confirmed it is focusing all remaining resources on a final, meaningful update scheduled for January, aiming to deliver as polished and complete an experience as possible under the current constraints. To facilitate this final push, the studio announced it will not release any further updates or host community Q&A sessions for the remainder of the year. This concentrated effort is intended to refine key systems and provide players with a satisfying conclusion to the project, even if it falls short of the studio’s original, more ambitious vision.
Heart Machine expressed profound gratitude to all team members who contributed to its projects and affirmed its commitment to continue creating games, albeit with a much smaller core team. The company also pledged to provide support for the staff impacted by this latest round of layoffs.
(Source: Game Developer)