Hyper Light Breaker will continue through early access with an update coming in January as Heart Machine trims its staff to ‘smaller core team.’
Heart Machine, the developers behind games such as Hyper Light Drifter, Hyper Light Breaker, and Solar Ash, has announced that it is laying off several employees and reducing its staff down to a “smaller core team.” This comes as work is continuing on Hyper Light Breaker, currently still in early access and with an update coming in January 2025.
Heart Machine announced the details of its layoffs in a statement on its social media channels. There, the studio shared details of the layoffs and what the next steps are for the remainder of Heart Machine:
— Heart Machine Official (@HeartMachineHQ) October 9, 2025
Heart Machine concludes its statement in wishing well and supporting its departing staff, promising that an update will be coming on Hyper Light Breaker in January 2026, and assuring fans that other projects like Posessor(s) will continue unaffected. Hyper Light Breakers has been in Steam Early Access since January 2024 and Posessor(s) is an upcoming Metroidvania being published by Devolver Digital that is slated to arrive sometime in 2025.
Regardless, Heart Machine joins the list of studios and companies laying off staff or closing outright. It’s small consolation that this time it’s the former instead of the latter, but the industry remains difficult as global economic issues continue. Stay tuned to the Heart Machine topic for more news and updates.
