Heart Machine Has Reportedly Gone Through a New Round of Lay-Offs Affecting 4 Employees

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Heart Machine, the team known for games like Hyper Light Drifter and Hyper Light Breaker, has had another round of layoffs this October. Although the company hasn’t officially confirmed it, GameDeveloper reports that four employees were affected by these cuts, which happened earlier this week.

The recent layoffs have impacted several employees, including Myriame Lachapelle, the producer of Possessor(s), 3D animator Jordan Campbell, VFX artist Ivan Phu, and senior gameplay manager Justin Beales. All three have publicly confirmed their job losses on the social media platform Bluesky.

Lachapelle will stay on with the studio to finish work on Possessor(s), but Phu, Campbell, and Beales appear to have been let go right away.

Lachapelle announced they will be leaving Heart Machine after the release of Possessor(s). They explained they’re currently focused on finishing the game and won’t begin searching for new opportunities until December, adding that they are feeling quite overwhelmed right now and may share more thoughts later.

Campbell announced that they have left Heart Machine after nearly six years. They had been working on the game ‘Breaker’ since the summer of 2020 and enjoyed their time with the team, but are now moving on to new opportunities.

Beales announced on social media that they had been laid off, describing it as simply ‘shouting into the void’ online. They also fondly remembered their colleagues at Heart Machine, calling them a ‘beautiful and wonderful team’.

Phu announced that tomorrow will be their last day working with the teams behind Hyper Light Breaker and Possessor(s). They shared that it was a pleasure working with such a dedicated and skilled group, and wished everyone the best of luck finding new opportunities during this challenging job market.

Earlier this month, Heart Machine announced it had to lay off some employees, citing external factors beyond their control. A studio representative stated that while the team will be smaller going forward, they will continue to support those who were affected by the layoffs.

Heart Machine announced their upcoming game, Possessor(s), in June 2024. It’s a side-scrolling adventure for PC, originally planned for release this year. However, recent layoffs have left the game’s current status uncertain. Possessor(s) is set in a massive city devastated by a strange, interdimensional disaster. Players will experience the story through the eyes of two characters, Luca and Rehm, each dealing with the aftermath in their own unique way.

While you wait, you can read our review of Hyper Light Breaker, which launched as an Early Access title on PC earlier this year.

https://bsky.app/profile/mllepilgrim.bsky.social/post/3m4c2kazjfk2n

I’ve unfortunately left Heart Machine after nearly six years. I enjoyed my time there, especially working on the Breaker project since 2020. I’m excited to start a new job now!

— Virum (@virum.bsky.social) 2025-10-29T14:05:31.448Z

Just wanted to share that I was laid off from my job. It’s a tough situation, but I really enjoyed working with the amazing team at HM.

— Burnrate (@burnrate.bsky.social) 2025-10-28T20:06:11.352Z

Tomorrow will be my last day working with the fantastic teams at Hyper Light Breaker and Possessor(s). I really enjoyed working with such a passionate and talented group, and I wish everyone the best of luck with their job search, especially given the current challenges.

— Kuro on Blue~ (@kurothemoop.bsky.social) 2025-10-30T22:36:49.257Z

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2025-10-31 19:12