Heart Machine, the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, has voluntarily acknowledged the formation of a union

Heart Machine, the indie studio known for Hyper Light Drifter, has acknowledged the establishment of a union among its employees.

A statement on the Communications Workers of America (CWA) website reveals that employees at Heart Machine have organized a comprehensive union. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this union includes 13 members of the staff.

The employees initially informed management of their unionization plans in February, seeking acknowledgment from the company.

"Seeing many industry colleagues stand for the protection of our shared craft inspired me to get involved," stated Steph Aligbe, a gameplay tools engineer and CWA Local 9003 affiliate. Aligbe expressed pride in the studio's decision to recognize the union and is enthusiastic about negotiating a contract to ensure a secure work environment.

In a comment to Game Developer, Aligbe further highlighted the importance of collaboration in creating unique work amid a competitive media landscape.

Heart Machine has recently experienced three rounds of layoffs. In 2024, an unspecified number of employees were dismissed. This was followed by another wave of redundancies 13 months later. Shortly after, the studio executed an additional round of layoffs just days before their new release, Possessor(s), published by Devolver Digital.

This move towards unionization at Heart Machine aligns with the CWA's efforts to facilitate union formation for nearly 4,000 employees across studios under Microsoft's umbrella, including major names such as Id Software, Bethesda, and Blizzard.