Hyper Light Breaker News

Development Status Update December 22, 2025

[p]We wanted to share an update with our community. [/p][p]Hyper Light Breaker will not be receiving further development for the time being. [/p][p]We’re incredibly grateful for the passion and support you’ve shown since Early Access. [/p][p]Please stay tuned to our official channels and Steam page for any future updates. [/p][p] [/p][p]- The Arc Games Team [/p]

As players debate whether to purchase Possessor(s) after Heart Machine lays off staff a week before launch, its creators and publisher respond: 'As a developer who is slated for lay off—please buy this game!'

It's a messy time over at Heart Machine, developer of the beloved Hyper Light Drifter and its ill-fated hack 'n' slash successor Hyper Light Breaker. The latter debuted to mixed Steam reviews and muted sales when it carved its way into early access back in January, resulting in layoffs at Heart Machine and work on Hyper Light Breaker ceasing prematurely...
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Hyper Light Breaker's development is ending, and devs Heart Machine are laying off staff

Hyper Light Breaker, 3D prequel to action-RPG Hyper Light Drifter, won't make it out of early access. Developers Heart Machine have announced that its development is ending, with an unspecified number of layoffs at the studio having been announced at the same time.

It's a depressingly rapid downward trajectory for the follow-up to a game which generally received strong and positive reception, tempered by some criticism of elements such as how it handled communicating the best way to keep making forward progress.

With lofty expectations stemming from its incredible RPG Hyper Light Drifter, Heart Machine had a tough task ahead of it with Hyper Light Breaker. A co-op roguelike based in the same universe and with suitably striking visuals, the game was packed with potential, but sadly struggled to find its feet in early access. The studio has been working hard on turning things around with major updates, but it's now been confirmed that development on Hyper Light Breaker will be ending as Heart Machine goes through another round of layoffs.

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Still in early access, Hyper Light Breaker's ending development and laying off staff: 'This was not our ideal path, but rather the only one available given the circumstances'

Just nine months after its open-world roguelike Hyper Light Breaker hit early access, Heart Machine has hit the rocks. Per Game Developer, the studio is laying off an indeterminate number of staff and ending development on its most recent game, which encountered a rough reception when it launched into early access in January, with players lamenting performance issues, control problems, bugs, and the fact that the game might just be a smidge too hard...
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