‘Hyper Light Breaker’ early access pushed back to early 2024

Hyper Light Breaker, the action rogue-lite previously scheduled to enter Steam Early Access this fall, has been delayed a second time. The launch window for the spiritual successor to 2016’s Hyper Light Drifter is now rescheduled for early 2024.

“So we need just a bit more time on Hyper Light Breaker before we launch into Early Access,” Alx Preston, founder and Creative Director for developer Heart Machine, said in a video announcing the delay. “This means we’ll be pushing our date to early next year in 2024.” He said the additional time will “allow us to bring the game to its full potential.” Preston thanked fans for their patience and support, promising “a new adventure that lives up to what fans expect from a Heart Machine title.”

Hyper Light Breaker shifts gameplay from 2D to 3D while adding up to three players for co-op play. While the 2016 original honored elements from classic top-down Zelda games, the upcoming open-world installment incorporates some Breath of the Wild basics. These include exploring open countrysides scattered with ruins while soaring through the air with a glider and surfing down hills. However, Hyper Light Breaker uses procedurally generated environments, which should help with replayability. Its combat also appears to depart from Nintendo’s modern Zelda games. The game’s first trailer gives you a closer peek.

“We have a lot of wild ideas we want to put into the game, which is exciting and thrilling since the format and tech we’ve created allows so much possibility,” said Preston. “This short push will give us the best chance for a stronger first step into open development in early access next year.”