It is solely been a couple of months since developer Double Fine’s cut up from Microsoft, however the staff behind Psychonauts 2, Kiln, and Keeper is wanting forward. With one other profitable Kickstarter marketing campaign below its belt, the newly impartial studio’s second (or ought to that be third?) life as an indie is off to an optimistic begin. With the present Kickstarter focusing on the developer’s newest Amenesia Fortnight — a developer-run recreation jam the place new micro video games are produced — it is permitting the builders to construct up some much-needed runway as they plan for his or her subsequent main challenge.
At PAX West 2026, we spoke with Double Fine studio head and president, Tim Schafer, in regards to the developer’s present path ahead. Together with speaking about his return to independence following the most important restructure in Xbox historical past, Schafer mirrored on Double Fine’s years below Microsoft’s banner, and defined how Sport Go can nonetheless doubtlessly work as a subscription service. He additionally reaffirmed his dedication to creating Brutal Legend 2 (supplied somebody can entrance the cash for it).
IGN: It has been seven years because the Microsoft acquisition, and the sport trade has gone by a lot change. What’s it been prefer to return to being an impartial developer?
Tim Schafer: It has been exhilarating. Like, it is scary as a result of we have got to make our personal means on this planet, however we did that for 19 years earlier than Microsoft, so now we have numerous nice concepts and numerous expertise pitching them. Lots of people know it is a robust time on the market. Lots of people, and now particularly numerous the older builders, are gone. Lots of the previous avenues we used for funding are gone, however there are numerous new ones. So we’re simply placing ourselves on the market, assembly numerous new individuals, and speaking about who desires to make video games with us.
IGN: I feel what’s been nice to see with Double Fine is that it has a core viewers of gamers which are invested in seeing the studio thrive. I keep in mind the unique Kickstarter marketing campaign for Damaged Age was a giant breakthrough for Double Fine.
Schafer: Yeah, I imply that form of factor was fairly like a giant monetary affect, but it surely was additionally an awakening of simply how tight we’re with the group, like how dependent we’re on them, and the way a lot they’re keen to take part. You recognize what I imply? As a result of they take part financially, but additionally creatively. Like, they actually wish to make artwork as nicely. I really feel like that is one thing particular about our followers, and it is as a result of our primary factor is creativity. So I feel it breeds a fan who additionally likes creativity, and I feel it, hopefully, helps our video games encourage not simply gamers, however individuals to love studying to attract or program, or, , individuals who wish to know find out how to make a recreation.
IGN: Now that you’re an impartial developer once more, and with all this consideration on you, do you’re feeling there is a sure accountability positioned on you all to make it as an indie studio?
Schafer: I do not see it as a accountability. I imply, I do not count on anyone to have a look at us and know what to do, as a result of our state of affairs all the time feels actually distinctive to Double Fine and me. Like we’re an indie recreation studio, however now we have numerous workers, and now we have healthcare, and now we have numerous stuff like that. There’s not numerous firms our dimension anymore, like AA-size studios, sort of. So, I would not say do every thing that we do. I hope nobody’s following our instance as a result of I do not know if it really works for anybody however us.
IGN: The Kickstarter for the Amnesia Fortnight is an fascinating approach to begin this comeback, it is all about this huge push to supply some new concepts and convey to life.
Schafer: It is sort of like a celebration of what we are able to do now that was tougher to do earlier than. Even being at PAX, Microsoft often likes to have one huge sales space. So having little cubicles throughout shouldn’t be what they’re into. They are not even right here on the present. So being impartial, we are able to come to PAX, we are able to speak to the followers, we are able to set the costs of our video games. We will do tiny video games like Thank You Bus Driver, which is a brand new challenge for us, and we made a complete particular label for them known as Double Fine Motion Labs, the place we are able to launch smaller concepts, do recreation jams, and do the sort of issues we love to do. So it is a celebration of each what we are able to do and what we love to do, which is high-bandwidth interplay with the followers, doing foolish artistic issues, and simply having numerous enjoyable.
IGN: I’d be remiss to not say that lots of people took discover of the Kickstarter mentioning that Brutal Legend 2 will be made when you safe $100 million. I perceive it was meant as a joke…
Schafer: I imply, it was a joke, but additionally, it isn’t a joke. Positive, I imply, if we received $100 million, we’d do it for certain. I’d fortunately put every thing apart and make Brutal Legend 2, so long as I might speak Jack Black into it. Yeah, but when we received $100 million, that is nice. Yeah, I might do a demo for $100 [laughs]. But it surely’s not a joke — I’d do it if we hit that objective. We’re most likely not going to hit that, although. However any wealthy guys on the market, when you ever wish to see Brutal Legend 2, come assist us out.
IGN: Now that you just’re again as an impartial developer, how do you’re feeling about these seven years working below Microsoft? Would you say that it was a helpful expertise in the long run?
Schafer: I discovered so much from it, and it was a extremely nice expertise general. They invested so much within the firm, and their mission was to assist Sport Go and different initiatives. So for some time, we have been very intently aligned, and it was nice. It was an ideal partnership, after which their targets modified, and so we parted methods due to that.
However I really feel like, within the meantime, we had an ideal little assortment of studios inside Xbox Sport Studios, like Compulsion, Ninja Concept, Obsidian, and inXile. We received to satisfy all of the studio heads and speak to them, and our programmers received to speak. Their programmers are artists, and everybody was exchanging concepts and know-how, and it was actually an ideal studying expertise about how different firms are run. So, since you’re impartial, you are a bit extra like an island. So, being an island that was briefly pushed, hitched as much as a bunch of different islands was very a lot, “Oh, that is a cool recreation proper there, we might go play that recreation.”
IGN: Sport Go was such a giant a part of the Xbox model’s push for a bigger video games viewers. Do you’re feeling that Sport Go nonetheless has worth and potential as a service?
Schafer: I really need Sport Go to work. I like the thought of subscription fashions for firms like us, who, , decrease the barrier to entry for everybody. We wish to make video games which are bizarre and artistic, that you just won’t perceive at first. I feel that is the sort of stuff we love to do. Do individuals see the important thing artwork and go like, “What?” And if it is on a subscription, you’ve got already sort of paid for the sport. You would be extra prone to strive it, in order that sounds good.
However there are different methods to succeed in individuals like that, like decreasing your costs, for instance. You recognize, getting individuals to strive your video games like that. I feel it might have labored. I do not perceive why Netflix labored and Sport Go did not, and I feel that is one thing I simply do not know sufficient about, however that is the way in which it’s. So now we’re taking one other method: making it actually inexpensive.
IGN: It has been fascinating to see the rise of those micro-games, ones which are pretty modest in idea, however provide selection and enjoyable for teams of gamers. I do know the time period “friendslop” is used so much, however I sort of see a few of Double Fine’s video games, and experimental ones, being proper at residence with these types of video games – significantly Kiln.
Schafer: Yeah, I feel the distinction is multiplayer. We’ve constructed a ton of multiplayer, however the factor about these video games sort of aligns with what we’re doing with our Amnesia Fortnight, which is simply attempting stuff. Lots of these video games got here from recreation jams. I feel the sport Peak got here from a recreation jam, and we simply wish to give everybody within the firm an opportunity. Actually, individuals really feel secure to experiment and take a look at artistic concepts, after which to not spend $300 million on them, simply spend like sticky bus drivers for six weeks, put it on the market, and simply see what .
The factor about these ‘friendslop’ video games, individuals largely focus on successes, however there’s tons of them that do not work out. I feel the thought is that you just by no means know which one’s going to take off, so do not financial institution the way forward for your organization on anyone particular person concept for certain. However these video games have been known as “friendjank” for awhile, you do not forget that? It is also about informal pacing, it is principally video games the place it is largely about hanging out with your mates.
Xbox Video games Sequence Tier Record
Xbox Video games Sequence Tier Record
IGN: What are your ideas on the state of the trade now? There’s been numerous studies and tales of builders struggling to remain open and a few creatives having to depart the sphere. Do you’re feeling optimistic that issues can enhance?
Schafer: It is a shitty time on the market, and it has been getting worse for longer than I’ve ever seen it worsen. I often attempt to consolation individuals by saying to the staff, “Properly, there are cycles, there are downturns, but it surely all the time turns again up once more since you want individuals to make video games, and that comes and goes.” However this has been going on for at the very least 4 years, and I really feel like I’ve by no means seen a cycle plunge so low.
Is it a everlasting change in simply the economics of all of it? However individuals are nonetheless wanted to make video games. It is not like AI has changed everyone, and for all of the discuss it changing Google, it isn’t successfully changing anyone proper now. So the place are all these jobs going? I nonetheless see a bunch of video games getting made, and individuals are nonetheless wanted. So I want I have been smarter and knew the reply to that. But it surely looks as if you want individuals to make video games, and so there needs to be a ton of alternatives, they usually’re nonetheless making some huge cash.
For creatives, you must have enjoyable making video games as a result of they’re actually arduous to make. Lots of these individuals might make greater than cash in a tech firm, in order that they’re right here as a result of they love video games. And when you’re right here since you love video games, then it’s best to love what you are doing, love making video games, and have enjoyable.
Picture by Christian Petersen/Getty Photographs.