Workers at Heart Machine have successfully organized a union with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9003, representing all 13 frontline employees at the studio. This action follows a series of layoffs, including job cuts announced in November 2024 and the discontinuation of the early access title Hyper Light Breaker in October 2025.
After a supermajority of eligible staff voted in favor of the union, Heart Machine voluntarily recognized it in February. The unionization effort reflects a growing trend in the gaming industry, where workers are increasingly vocal about their rights and job security, especially amidst ongoing layoffs at major studios like Ubisoft.
Steph Aligbe, a gameplay tools engineer, expressed the importance of unionizing to protect the craft and the work they all cherish. The CWA's expansion into gaming now includes thousands of employees from companies such as Microsoft and EA, and it has initiated the United Videogame Workers, allowing individual workers in the US and Canada to join without needing employer approval.