Updated
Updated · Push Square · Aug 21
Double Fine to Outline Future Plans After 23 Layoffs and Microsoft Split
Updated
Updated · Push Square · Aug 21

Double Fine to Outline Future Plans After 23 Layoffs and Microsoft Split

3 articles · Updated · Push Square · Aug 21

Summary

  • Double Fine said it will detail “what’s next for the studio” in a livestream later Friday on Kinda Funny Games’ YouTube channel, its first public update since regaining independence.
  • 23 employees were laid off at the end of July, with studio head Tim Schafer saying the cuts were needed to secure the studio’s survival and resize it for a sustainable standalone future.
  • The presentation is expected to focus on strategy rather than new game reveals, as the Psychonauts developer explains how it plans to operate after years under Microsoft ownership.
  • Double Fine’s next steps matter beyond Psychonauts because the studio also controls franchises including Brutal Legend, Broken Age, Costume Quest and Stacking.

Insights

After escaping Xbox's massive restructuring, how will Double Fine fund its next big game without Microsoft's financial safety net?
Can Tim Schafer's legendary studio survive the harsh indie market after recent commercial flops and shedding a quarter of its staff?
With Xbox aggressively spinning off studios to cut costs, does Double Fine's newfound independence signal a crisis for the Game Pass model?