Heart Machine, the development studio behind titles like Hyper Light Drifter and Possessors, is in dire straits after a publisher withdrew their funding for an unannounced project.
The news was shared to LinkedIn by Heart Machine’s founder, Alx Preston, on September 16, 2026. Preston explained that the publisher funding this unannounced title “decided to no longer move forward with it,” and without this income, the studio was forced to lay off “nearly everyone.”
“It's devastating,” Preston wrote, going on to confirm that all people involved would be given “as much support as possible, including assisting with placement.”
Currently, Preston isn’t certain whether or not Heart Machine will survive this devastating financial blow, but...