Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Heart Machine Ends Hyper Light Breaker Development, Announces Second Round of Layoffs

The studio blames broader industry pressures, citing funding shifts, corporate consolidation, an uncertain market.

Overview

  • Heart Machine will pause further updates and developer Q&As for the rest of 2025 as it winds down the Early Access project.
  • A concluding, more polished update is planned for January 2026 to refine key systems and provide a final punctuation point.
  • The company did not disclose how many employees were laid off and says it will continue making games with a smaller core team.
  • Hyper Light Breaker launched on Steam Early Access on January 14, 2025 and holds a mixed user rating from roughly 2,500 reviews.
  • The studio says Possessor(s) remains on track for November 11, 2025 on PS5 and PC, with that team not impacted by the cuts.