Heart Machine, the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, lays off “nearly everyone” after a publisher decides to stop moving forward with an unannounced project. Studio founder Alx Preston announces the changes in a message shared on LinkedIn, describing the situation as “devastating” and saying the publisher deal falls through.
In the statements reported by outlets, Preston says he is not yet sure what comes next for the studio to survive. Both accounts also say the team is offered support following the layoffs, including help with placement for employees. Nintendo Life frames the news as closure-risk for the studio, while PC Gamer focuses on the uncertainty about the studio’s future and the impact of the cancelled deal. Neither outlet provides details on the unannounced game or the identity of the publisher.
