Heart Machine, the acclaimed indie studio behind Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash, has announced the difficult decision to cease development on its latest title, Hyper Light Breaker, while simultaneously laying off an undisclosed number of team members. The news marks a challenging period for the Los Angeles-based studio, which released the game in early access just nine months ago in January 2025[3].
Development Comes to an Unexpected End
The studio’s statement acknowledged the painful nature of these decisions, noting that “this was not our ideal path, but rather the only one available given the circumstances”[1]. Heart Machine attributed the situation to “broader forces beyond our control, including shifts in funding, corporate consolidation and the uncertain environment many small studios like us are navigating today”[3].
Hyper Light Breaker, designed as a prequel to the critically acclaimed Hyper Light Drifter, represented a significant departure from its predecessor. While the original game featured overhead pixel art gameplay, Breaker embraced a third-person polygonal approach—a transition similar to the evolution seen in the Zelda franchise from 2D to 3D[2].
Mixed Reception and Performance Issues
The game’s early access period revealed significant challenges. Player reviews on Steam have been decidedly mixed, with only 67% of approximately 2,580 reviews marked as positive[2]. Critics pointed to persistent performance issues, control problems, bugs, and difficulty balance concerns that hampered the player experience[5].
This lukewarm reception stands in stark contrast to Heart Machine’s previous releases. Both Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash enjoyed widespread popularity and critical acclaim, making Breaker’s struggles particularly notable for the studio[5].
A Final Update on the Horizon
Despite ending development, Heart Machine committed to delivering one last meaningful update. The studio plans to release a polished version of the game in January 2026, aiming to “deliver something meaningful and as polished and complete as we can given our current circumstances”[7]. The team emphasized their intention to “refine what we can, complete key systems, and have the game culminate in a satisfying punctuation point”[1].
No further updates are planned for the remainder of 2025[3].
History of Setbacks
This represents the second wave of layoffs for Heart Machine within a year. The studio previously reduced its workforce in November 2024, expressing hope at the time that a “strong and timely” release of Hyper Light Breaker could help recover opportunities for affected employees[2]. The game itself faced multiple delays, originally scheduled for early access in 2023 before being pushed back two years[2].
Looking Forward
Heart Machine indicated its intention to continue game development with a consolidated core team. The studio’s next project, Possessor(s)—a Devolver-published sci-fi side-scrolling action game—remains scheduled for release in November 2025[3]. This suggests that despite the setback with Hyper Light Breaker, the studio plans to move forward with future projects.
The situation at Heart Machine reflects broader challenges facing independent game studios in 2025, where funding uncertainties and industry consolidation continue to create difficult operating conditions for smaller developers[1].
Sources
[4] https://wnhub.io/news/hr/item-49033