# Hyper Light Drifter studio faces closure after layoffs

> Heart Machine laid off nearly its entire team after a publisher pulled funding for an unannounced game.
- Title: Hyper Light Drifter studio faces closure after layoffs
- Summary: Heart Machine laid off nearly its entire team after a publisher pulled funding for an unannounced game. Even acclaimed indie studios struggle to survive when…
- Keywords: heart machine, hyper light drifter, indie game studio, layoffs, game development, publisher funding, studio closure, video games, alx preston, technology, Hyper, Light
- Source: Engadget — https://engadget.com/2260787/hyper-light-drifter-dev-at-risk-of-closing-after-laying-off-nearly-everyone
- Author: Anna Washenko
- Published: 2026-09-16T21:11:21+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: heart machine, hyper light drifter, indie game studio, layoffs, game development, publisher funding, studio closure, video games, alx preston, technology
## Publisher pulls plug on Heart Machine
Heart Machine founder Alx Preston announced the studio lost its primary funding source this week when a publisher cancelled an unannounced game the team was developing.

> Without this key income for the studio, any other immediate prospects or other funds, nearly everyone at the studio had to be laid off.
## Nearly everyone laid off
Without the publisher's funding and no other immediate income sources, Heart Machine had to let go of nearly its entire workforce.

> It's devastating.
## From indie success to stretched thin
Heart Machine created Hyper Light Drifter in 2016 as an independent success, but later juggled multiple projects including Solar Ash, Hyper Light Breaker, and Possessor(s) while working with external publishers.
## Hyper Light Breaker cancelled
Heart Machine ended development on Hyper Light Breaker and conducted layoffs in October 2025, signaling financial trouble before this week's collapse.
## Workers unionized just months ago
Some remaining Heart Machine employees voted to unionize in March 2026, just months before the studio faced potential closure.
## Industry challenges mount for indies
Preston acknowledged the gaming industry has become increasingly difficult to navigate, leaving Heart Machine uncertain about its survival and future direction.

> Navigating an increasingly challenging industry has been extremely difficult, and I'm not sure yet what's next for Heart Machine to survive.
## Key takeaway

Even acclaimed indie studios struggle to survive when a single funding source disappears, especially after stretching resources across multiple projects.