Double Fine has officially embraced its independence, marking a significant milestone in its journey as a game development studio. Earlier this year, the company parted ways with Xbox, and CEO Tim Schafer recently shared insights on the transition during an appearance on the Kinda Funny podcast. He confirmed that the studio has regained full publishing rights to its titles developed under Microsoft, allowing them to retain all revenue generated from game sales.
Transition to Independence
Schafer elaborated on the process, noting, “Everything we got back, the transfer of the IP came back to us, and we got the publishing rights back for all our games.” Although platforms like Steam still list Xbox Game Studios as the publisher for titles such as Psychonauts 2 and Keeper, he reassured fans that this is merely a matter of processing time. “When people buy our games, it helps support the studio,” he added, emphasizing the direct impact of sales on their operations.
In an exciting development, Double Fine has launched a Kickstarter campaign centered around its annual Amnesia Fortnight game jam, a creative incubator that has birthed beloved titles like Costume Quest and Stacking. This year, the entire jam will be documented, and backers will have the unique opportunity to influence which game concept gets developed into a small title.
Schafer expressed optimism about the future, stating that the Kickstarter initiative, along with revenue from existing games, will provide the studio with “as much runway as possible” as they explore new project pitches to potential publishers. However, the path to independence has not been without challenges; last month, Double Fine made the difficult decision to lay off 23 staff members to ensure a sustainable operational size, a move that came shortly after Microsoft’s restructuring efforts, which included significant layoffs across Xbox.
As the studio navigates this new chapter, Schafer also hinted at upcoming content for their recently released multiplayer game, Kiln, which will feature a major update with new maps and modes, alongside a price reduction. For those who prefer narrative-driven experiences, he recommended checking out Keeper, an adventure game featuring a sentient lighthouse and a bird, which he described as “one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever played.”
