What Heart Machine does

Heart Machine, Inc. is a privately held, Los Angeles-headquartered independent video game studio founded in 2013 by Alx Preston, operating with a globally distributed team. The studio develops action-adventure and metroidvania games distinguished by hand-animated characters, stylized art direction, and narrative-driven design. Its product portfolio centers on the Hyper Light franchise — beginning with Hyper Light Drifter (2016, Kickstarter-funded), expanding through Solar Ash (2021, 3D side-scroller published by Annapurna Interactive) and Hyper Light Breaker (open-world co-op, early access 2023 via Gearbox Publishing) — and now includes Possessor(s) (a horror-genre side scroller published by Devolver Digital, released November 2025). Each title is published through a different third-party partner rather than self-published.

The studio generates revenue primarily through one-time-purchase digital game sales across Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop, and iOS App Store, supplemented by branded merchandise sold directly (heartmachine.store) and via Fangamer, Theyetee, and iam8bit. Underlying technology comprises a standard video game engine (specific engine not disclosed) with a hybrid art pipeline spanning pixel art for Hyper Light Drifter and 3D open-world rendering for Solar Ash, Hyper Light Breaker, and Possessor(s), including high-speed traversal systems and co-op multiplayer architecture.

Operationally, Heart Machine has executed multiple rounds of layoffs in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and announced the wind-down of Hyper Light Breaker development, citing broader industry and funding pressures. The company remains active, with a final polished version of Hyper Light Breaker slated for January 2026 and continued investment in the Possessor(s) IP. The studio has no publicly disclosed funding rounds or external investors identified in the input data.

Name

Heart Machine

Legal name

Heart Machine, Inc.

Website

https://heartmachine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heart Machine is a Los Angeles-based indie game studio founded in 2013 that develops and publishes action-adventure video games, including the Hyper Light franchise and Possessor(s), distributed globally through major digital storefronts and consoles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Video Game Sales: Heart Machine generates revenue through one-time purchase video game sales across multiple platforms including Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop, and iOS App Store. Games are priced at standard retail rates.
2. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, pins, posters, art books, vinyl soundtracks, figurines, and collector's editions through their store and third-party retailers (Fangamer, Theyetee, iam8bit).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Heart Machine is an independent video game studio that develops and publishes original action-adventure games featuring hand-animated characters, distinctive visual styles (pixel art to 3D), and engaging narratives. The studio sells its games as one-time purchases through major digital storefronts (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, iOS) and generates supplementary revenue through branded merchandise.

Product overview

Heart Machine is an independent video game development studio that creates original action-adventure and side-scrolling games. The company's portfolio centers around its flagship franchise beginning with Hyper Light Drifter (2016), followed by the open-world co-op sequel Hyper Light Breaker. Additional titles include the fast-paced side-scroller Solar Ash (published by Annapurna Interactive) and the horror game Possessor(s) (published by Devolver Digital). The studio operates as a single-product studio model, developing distinct individual games rather than a unified platform, with each title representing a separate creative project with different publishing partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hyper Light Drifter A side-scrolling action RPG featuring fast-paced combat, exploration, and puzzle elements set in a haunting, atmospheric world. The Drifter is haunted by an insatiable illness and travels the lands of Buried Time to discover a way to quiet the disease. Available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and iOS.
• Solar Ash A fast-paced 3D side-scroller action game featuring fluid movement mechanics, set in a surreal, vivid, highly stylized world filled with mystery, wild high-speed traversal, endearing characters, and massive enemy encounters. Published by Annapurna Interactive.
• Hyper Light Breaker An open-world co-op action adventure game that serves as a sequel/spinoff to Hyper Light Drifter. Players explore massive biomes, defeat brutal monsters, create new builds, survive the mysterious Crowns, and overthrow the Abyss King. Features multiplayer co-op gameplay and cross-play support, published by Gearbox Publishing.
• Possessor(s) A fast-paced action side scroller with combat inspired by platform fighters, a story told through dangerous characters, set in a deep interconnected world ready for exploration. Published by Devolver Digital.
• Heart Machine Branded Merchandise Sale of branded merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, pins, posters, art books, vinyl soundtracks, figurines, and collector's editions, sold through the Heart Machine store and third-party retailers (Fangamer, Theyetee, iam8bit).

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gearbox PublishingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Originally contracted with Perfect World Entertainment in 2020, the contract transferred to Gearbox Publishing after Embracer Group's acquisition in December 2021. Gearbox Publishing is the publisher for Hyper Light Breaker on Steam (Early Access).
• Devolver DigitalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDevolver Digital is the publisher for Possessor(s), Heart Machine's fast-paced action side scroller released in November 2025. Devolver has a history of publishing indie games with distinctive styles.
• Annapurna InteractivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAnnapurna Interactive published Solar Ash, Heart Machine's 2021 action game. Annapurna is known for publishing artistic indie titles including What Remains of Edith Finch and Journey.
• Studio GrackleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Grackle created animated trailers for Heart Machine games. They are credited as a partner studio for animated trailer work.
• Adi ShankarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeart Machine made a deal with Adi Shankar (who developed Castlevania for Netflix) for a Hyper Light Drifter animated series. The project is technically still in progress though no timeline is confirmed.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Team Cherry: Small independent developer of Hollow Knight, a flagship metroidvania. Highly comparable to Heart Machine in team size, genre, and reliance on a single breakthrough IP.
• Supergiant Games: Independent action-RPG developer behind Hades, Bastion, and Transistor. Closest comparable in size, genre focus, and premium indie positioning to Heart Machine's action-adventure catalog.
• Motion Twin: Independent developer of Dead Cells, a flagship indie action title. Comparable in team scale, action-game focus, and multi-platform indie distribution strategy.
• Yacht Club Games: Independent developer of Shovel Knight. Comparable in retro-styled action platformer focus and indie direct-distribution model.
• Ghost Ship Games: Independent developer of Deep Rock Galactic. Comparable in small-team co-op action game design and Steam-led distribution.
• Mega Crit: Small independent developer of Slay the Spire. Comparable in small-team indie model and Steam-anchored distribution.
• Studio MDHR: Small independent developer of Cuphead. Comparable in small-team premium indie positioning and distinctive art-driven brand identity.
• Moon Studios: Independent developer of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Comparable in artistic action-platformer focus and small-team premium indie positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Devolver Digital: Publicly listed indie publisher and direct publishing partner on Possessor(s). Wider portfolio of premium indie titles and significantly greater marketing and capital resources.
• Annapurna Interactive: Established indie games publisher and publishing partner for Solar Ash. Operates a much broader catalog of artistic indie titles with greater marketing scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heartmachineHQ
• YouTubetwitch.tv/heartmachine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heart-machine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heart Machine