Heart Machine, Creator of Hyper Light Drifter, Reduces Workforce

Heart Machine, the developer renowned for creating Hyper Light Drifter, has recently reduced its workforce. In a recent communication with Game Developer, the studio clarified that a “portion” of their team has been let go. They also assured that those affected would receive severance packages and healthcare support for a certain period.

In a move that is unfortunately not very common, Heart Machine emphasized its commitment to recognizing the contributions of the laid-off employees by including their names in credits and upholding revenue-sharing agreements previously made with them.

Commenting on the situation, Yiyi Zhang, the studio’s community and PR manager, stated, “The release of Hyper Light Breaker won’t be affected by this unfortunate news. We’re confident that a successful and timely launch will open up more opportunities for those impacted, as we aim to further develop and expand the game during its Early Access phase.”

She continued, “Our other projects, like Possessor(s), will continue as planned without any disruptions.”

Expressing gratitude, Zhang added, “We deeply appreciate the ongoing support from our community, not only towards our studio but also towards others facing similar challenges. We remain optimistic about what the future holds for our upcoming games, our team, and the gaming industry in general.”

Heart Machine gained its fame with the 2016 release, Hyper Light Drifter, and is actively working on its sequel, Hyper Light Breaker. This new installment is scheduled to enter Early Access in 2025 and appears to remain unaffected by the recent staffing changes.