Heart Machine, the indie studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, is facing imminent closure after laying off nearly all staff following a publisher's withdrawal from an upcoming project. CEO Alx Preston confirmed the studio's financial collapse on LinkedIn, stating the publisher decided to no longer move forward with the unannounced title, leaving Heart Machine without funding or immediate prospects. Preston expressed uncertainty about the studio's survival, suggesting shutdown in coming weeks or months unless financial circumstances change.

He thanked the team and community for their contributions while offering support for laid-off employees seeking new roles. The layoffs follow prior staff reductions ahead of Possessor(s) and the cancellation of Hyper Light Breaker development less than a year after its Steam early access launch.