Heart Machine’s Lack of a Patreon 'Pulse'
I mentioned Heart Machine a few weeks back because their studio was on the verge of falling apart after mass layoffs... and ohhh boy, it hasn't gotten any better.... at all. Known for titles like Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash, their recent move to launch a Patreon has left many fans feeling... betrayed, and the reasons are pretty obvious as to why.
While their struggles are real, and their passion for game development is clearly undeniable, the overall response from the entire gaming community has been overwhelmingly skeptical—and for good reason.
At this rate, the once Sweet Baby Inc.-aligned company is as good as burnt-to-a-crisp toast DONE for.
The Value Proposition Problem
When gamers support creators on platforms like Patreon, they'd typically expect some sort of tangible rewards that feel worth the financial commitment. That's kinda the point of Patreon in a nutshell. Will there be people supporting for no other reason than kindness? Of course... But enough to sustain an entire game studio on promises? No... Not at all. This is very different.
Add to that I find their post on Twitter/X (below) from about a week ago a tad curious - it has 255 hearts, and 3 comments... they're either botting for attention, or have an audience filled w/virtue signalers. Either way - neither financially support them on their journey:
For instance, (and I know this may come across as obvious as well... but I have to say it anyways) supporting a YouTuber typically comes with a steady stream of content—videos, livestreams, and bonus perks like behind-the-scenes access—all built around the core product (the videos themselves)... But with Heart Machine’s Patreon, the "core product" is vague, at best... and in a weird way, it ultimately comes across as begging for money to keep their doors open for no other reason than a 'trust us bro' we're good people that just need to survive to make these games!
The team promises insights into their development process, exclusive art assets, and discussions about industry turmoil... But the harsh reality here is that games take years to develop, and there’s no immediate or even eventual product tied to this financial support. Imagine spending $120 a year as a "Seeker" tier backer and receiving nothing but concept art, design documents, and prototype GIFs in return. Cool... I guess? But honestly - I'm not seeing this as much of a differentiator in the landscape of all the great Indie devs everywhere else.
For many gamers, it’s an investment without much of any payoff—especially when compared to simply waiting to buy the game on release (or Early Access, as is standard for many roguelikes). This is such a strange direction to try and go IMHO.
Sweet Baby Inc. and the Trust Deficit
Adding fuel to the fire is Heart Machine’s original association with Sweet Baby Inc., the 'consultancy' agency infamous for attacking gamers like Kabrutus and trying to get his Steam account taken down for daring to create a curation group on steam covering their controversial DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consulting. They are the people behind starting Gamergate 2, and as I’ve covered in a previous video, Sweet Baby Inc.’s involvement with pretty much anyone has been a "death kiss", by prioritizing ideological messaging over gameplay and directly alienating core gaming audiences in the process. For Heart Machine, their association with SBI has led down a road of destruction. There are patterns we've been recognizing along the way, and it never seems to have a positive outcome...
Gamers have grown extremely wary of projects influenced by DEI-driven design, not because they oppose diversity - but moreso, because the initiatives feel forced and out of touch with what customers actually want to purchase. As one user said in reply to Heart Machine, "weird flags don’t sell", and many gamers see Heart Machine’s Patreon experiment as yet another example of their own misguided priorities.
Crowdfunding Fatigue and the Paywall Issue
Crowdfunding has long been a divisive topic in the gaming community. Platforms like Kickstarter had once been heralded as a way to empower a ton of indie developers, but years of mismanaged projects and unfulfilled promises have left many feeling burned.
Heart Machine’s decision to directly rely on Patreon feels like an unnecessary and unwanted evolution of this trend, asking for ongoing financial support without delivering any tangible, immediate rewards.
Two of their stated goals—“to share more about the issues in the industry driving this state of turmoil” and “to reach a bigger audience with more transparency”—have particularly drawn criticism as well. There's zero logic in placing this kind of information behind a paywall.
How do you claim to want to "educate" a broader audience about industry corruption... while simultaneously charging for access? It doesn't make any sense. Their hypocrisy with this approach has eroded trust and made it harder for Heart Machine to rally any real support.
A History of Letdowns
Heart Machine’s previous actions haven’t done much to inspire confidence, either.
The Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition being exclusive to the Nintendo Switch was a slap in the face to early supporters on Steam, the very platform that helped catapult the game to success. For many, it's stuff like this that proves that loyalty to Heart Machine hasn’t really ever been reciprocated.
Times Are Tough—for Everyone
There’s the undeniable reality that gamers themselves are feeling the financial pinch in a tough economy as well. Heart Machine’s Patreon arrives at a time when disposable income is limited for so many people, and the cost of supporting their project just doesn’t feel justified. There are countless examples of a single person creating an incredible experience on their own time after their dayjob driven by a great idea and pure passion... In the end, this situation feels more like unsustainable bloat... and I'm not alone:
Asking for continuous financial backing during development? Especially when the rewards are so frivolous that they feel completely tone-deaf to the very real struggles of the core audience they’re appealing to? Nah... This ain't it.
Patre-Bomb
Heart Machine’s move to Patreon may have been born out of "necessity", but it’s clear the vast majority of the gaming community isn’t buying in. Between the lack of any real clear value, the ironic paywall for transparency, the lingering distrust from their past actions... and on top of all that - the influence of Sweet Baby Inc.? The effort is misaligned with the actual wants and needs of their core audience.
For a company that once stood as a shining example of indie success, this Patreon directly alienates the very community that helped build their reputation. It’s not that gamers don’t care—it’s that the trust, value, and confidence simply aren’t there. It's an unfortunate reality. The game industry is brutal, and companies close often. Without a desirable product... the market dictates that unfortunately, you are out of luck.
~Smash
I believe the word you're looking for is "Nope."
My concern, Heart Machine might be farting in the elevator before they get off.
Beg for money for this up and coming project that never even starts. Teased with a few designs but nothing done. If they did so many layoffs and aren't selling enough games, this could be a last ditch grift before they move to a new career
They want support but after the fiasco of the day before we're not falling for it anymore