The gaming industry is currently in one of its most volatile states, with many game shutdowns and cancellations. Studios have also faced major layoffs and shutdowns, and with no change in sight, this will continue. And sometimes unfortunate circumstances arise, forcing a studio to adapt to survive. For Heart Machine, the future looks bleak. As announced on LinkedIn by studio head Alx Preston, the studio has had to lay off “nearly everyone” and, with an uncertain future, faces possible shutdown after a publishing deal fell through, leaving it without the funds it needs to support itself.
Heart Machine is a beloved studio, as they are responsible for games such as Hyper Light Drifter and Possessor(s). And now, unfortunately, it faces a potential shutdown after laying off virtually everyone, as a publishing deal fell through, ending funding for the game. “Navigating an increasingly challenging industry has been extremely difficult, and I’m not sure yet what’s next for Heart Machine to survive,” states Alx Preston. Heart Machine is no stranger to layoffs, as they have faced a total of three in the past three years, with one taking place after ending development on Hyper Light Drifter. But now it looks like Heart Machine is at the end of the road, as they had been working on an unannounced title when their publishing deal fell through, cutting its funding and forcing the studio to lay off “nearly everyone” as funding was no more and the future of the studio is up in the air.
“We had been working on an unannounced title, funded by a publisher. This week, they decided to no longer move forward with it. Without this key income for the studio, any other immediate prospects or other funds, nearly everyone at the studio had to be laid off. It’s devastating.”
All in all, this situation is terrible, as Heart Machine has had to lay off nearly everyone, and with uncertainty on the horizon, this may be the end for the studio. Heart Machine is providing support for its former staff and thanks everyone from the staff for their efforts and talent, and the fans and community for their support. It is unknown where the studio goes from here; hopes are that they find funding or an alternative to keep the studio alive and give it a possible future. Either way, Heart Machine’s future remains to be seen.
“We’ll keep pushing to build a path while we are still here.”