I am not one to post like this usually, but as things have developed recently, I want to take a minute and get some stuff off my chest.

I have been at Heart Machine for three years, working as the producer/project lead on POSSESSOR(S). Having the team gutted to the bones in the past few weeks has been extremely hard, as we were headed to launch.

We will not be able to celebrate it together, and saying that it breaks my heart is an understatement. I feel devastated.

I personally am seeing this project through before being laid off in December, but it is not the case for the vast majority of this team. Some left the studio a while ago, some recently. Others have been laid off at various times, through no fault of their own. I want to take a moment to celebrate them, and ask that when/if you see their posts about looking for work, their resume in your inbox, or a pitch for their next thing to consider sharing, hiring or meeting with them — they are some of the most talented, smart, fun and collaborative people I had the chance to work with, and I am incredibly proud of the game we have made together. 🖤

I have always considered June Patterson as the foundation of the team. Her wide range of skills, from design to art, to engineering and production, earned her a deep understanding of what POSSESSOR(S) was about, and quickly became the go-to person when anyone had questions. She knew the game inside and out, and the direction it needed to be great, which led her to become co-director. Her tenure as co-director made a huge positive impact on the team and the game; a lot of her work can be seen and felt in the POSSESSOR(S)’s DNA.

Danny Moll is, hands down, the best art director I’ve worked with. His concepts throughout the project were always absolutely breathtaking, and he would never shy away when I needed help or support during planning. He would always lend a hand when other departments needed additional support, from going in-engine and making 3D environments, in-game interactables, or our endless requests to do UI. Oh, and I can’t not talk about his favorite enemy planned to be cut, and he would NOT have it, went in and finished its animations, and we are all grateful for it (even tho this particular enemy keeps killing me 😭).

Tyler Hutchison is not only an incredible writer, but his engineering skills have elevated so much of what the narrative experience of POSSESSOR(S) is. From building flashbacks to narrative sequences in-game, the story in POSSESSOR(S) is truly incredible. As Laura Michet joined us during production, this pair built a gut-wrenching story that I know will resonate with a lot of people. From laughs to heartfelt moments, these two built something unique, which brought me to tears.

Wolfgang Traenkle was the guiding light of the environment team. She built clear documentation and was always available to answer and support her co-workers. She built so much of the visual identity of POSSESSOR(S), working alongside Matt Graczyk, Cameron Hughes, and Marissa Borowski. From creating so many assets to placing them in the levels, this team was not only good with the minutiae of things, but also good collaborators and communicators. You should see our Miro boards. ;)

Sarah Morris created so many beautiful concepts throughout the project. From the gorgeous environment to many of our NPCs and enemies, she truly elevated the visual identity of POSSESSOR(S). Alongside Sophie Medvedeva, who focused on character concepts and brought you all the hotness of our dialogue portraits. Sophie’s art was so incredible that we utilized her talent to bring big narrative moments into fully illustrated shots seen in our flashbacks. These two are amazing.

Ace Schneider had the immense task of hand-drawing… literally everything you see in POSSESSOR(S). Yes, they got additional help throughout the project, but they touched everything you can see moving in the game. From Luca to enemies, to bosses, and NPCs. Ace is an amazing animator. Alongside Ivan Phu, who also helped with animations, seeing this pair working together and collaborating was amazing. Ivan made such a big impact on the game by creating striking, beautiful VFXs to match animations and design requirements. Both of their work are a lot of what the good game feels comes from.

I can not sing the praises of Ed Rodrigues enough. As the sole engineer on this project, he has been the backbone of POSSESSOR(S). He’s an absolute joy to work and collaborate with, and is always on top of his stuff. Ed would always go above and beyond for his co-workers to have the project run smoothly. Dominic Fanaris, starting with us while still in school back in the day, has been a key addition to our team, supporting both engineering and design work. Seeing him join the team, integrate so easily, and just run with big features and bloom into his role of technical designer was an absolute privilege.

Curtis McKinney joined us late in production, but the impact he had on POSSESSOR(S) is undeniable. He’s taken over our bosses designs and combat systems and brought them to such an amazing spot. The boss battles in the game are a huge highlight of what makes this game great. Curtis is incredibly skilled, smart, and a joy to work with.

Jordan Fanaris was the main level designer on the game, and probably touched all of the hundreds of rooms in POSSESSOR(S) in one way to another. Always fixing things on the spot when things need to change, he’s always on top of his tasks. Both he and Mars did an amazing job at crafting the whole world and collaborating with the environment and narrative team to have an amazing search-action experience.

Speaking of Mars Ashton, he is literally a Swiss Army Knife guy. From level, game or narrative design, technical writing, or QA, he’s never shy to pick up a task to support and help his co-workers. His documentation work is always flawless, and keeps them up to date. He’s genuinely an incredible, fun, and caring collaborator. A true blessing for any producers working with him.