"Heart Machine, developer of 2016's hit action-RPG Hyper Light Drifter, has fallen on hard times after that game's follow-up, the roguelike prequel Hyper Light Breaker, failed to resonate with players. Still officially in Early Access, the game will get some more attention from Heart Machine, but the studio has announced that it is winding down development, and that members of the team have been laid off."
""We've had to make the difficult decision to part ways with a number of talented team members," Heart Machine said in a statement (h/t Joshua Wolens at PC Gamer). Attributing the challenges its facing to "broader forces beyond our control, including shifts in funding, corporate consolidation and the uncertain environment many small studios like us are navigating today," Heart Machine has hit bumpy patches in the past as well, with a previous round of layoffs implemented toward the end of 2024,"
""I just can't," reads one Steam review of the game in its present Early Access state. "The only thing that actually ties this game to Drifter is the title of the game and the art style. [...] Characters currently are limited to select weapons to artificially promote character diversity. Extraction as a concept is pointless aside from being a source of infinite health.""
Heart Machine, creator of 2016's Hyper Light Drifter, is scaling back work on its roguelike prequel Hyper Light Breaker after the follow-up failed to resonate with players. The game remains in Early Access and will receive limited further attention while the studio winds down development and lays off multiple team members. The studio cited shifts in funding, corporate consolidation, and a challenging environment for small studios. A prior round of layoffs occurred late in 2024. The studio plans an update in January and intends to bring Breaker to some kind of finish. Player reviews criticize design, limited character options, and rough edges.
Read at Kotaku
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