Heart Machine
| Company type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Alx Preston |
| Headquarters | Culver City, California , United States |
| Products | Hyper Light Drifter, Solar Ash, Hyper Light Breaker, Possesors |
Heart Machine, Inc. is a US-based independent game development company created by Alx Preston, recognized primarily for the titles Hyper Light Drifter (2016) and Solar Ash (2021).
History
Heart Machine was established in 2013 to facilitate the crowdfunding campaign for Hyper Light Drifter. The company’s name draws inspiration from health issues linked to founder Preston’s congenital heart condition, which also served as a creative influence for the game.
After the successful crowdfunding of Hyper Light Drifter, Preston founded Heart Machine within Glitch Space, a collaborative workspace located in Culver City, California, designed to support indie developers. Upon its 2016 release, Hyper Light Drifter garnered critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards.
In March 2019, the studio unveiled its next project, Solar Ash, which was published on Windows by Annapurna Interactive. Development commenced shortly after completing Hyper Light Drifter, incorporating new technological advancements. Although set in the same universe, it is not a direct sequel. Preston took charge of the design, with Zoë Quinn contributing as the narrative writer and Rich Vreeland (Disasterpeace) returning as composer. Transitioning from 2D pixel visuals to a 3D open-world environment presented through a third-person viewpoint, the team preserved the original artistic feel in an updated format. Releases on console platforms were also planned. The game officially launched on December 2, 2021.
On March 31, 2022, Heart Machine announced Hyper Light Breaker, originally slated for a 2023 release. Differing from earlier projects, this title’s soundtrack is produced internally without Disasterpeace’s involvement. The launch date was postponed to 2024 to allow for improved development quality. Arc Games (previously Gearbox Publishing San Francisco) is handling publishing responsibilities.
On June 7, 2024, Heart Machine revealed Possesors, a 2D side-scrolling action game scheduled for publication by Devolver Digital in 2025.
In October 2025, the company disclosed layoffs and the cessation of development on Hyper Light Breaker, with plans to issue a final update by January 2026 while continuing work on smaller titles such as Possesors.
Games
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Hyper Light Drifter | Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Self-published |
| 2021 | Solar Ash | Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2025[lower-alpha 1] | Hyper Light Breaker | Windows | Arc Games |
| 2025 | Possessor(s) | Windows | Devolver Digital |
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