It has been less than three months since Xbox ended its publishing relationship with Double Fine Productions, and the studio is set to release its first game following this split in just two weeks. Titled Thank You Bus Driver, the game is described as a unique take on the driving simulator genre.
Double Fine has outlined three core priorities for players:
- Reach the next stop, by any means necessary.
- Maintain the schedule to ensure passenger satisfaction.
- Enforce rules and discipline unruly passengers.
The studio teased the game's premise, comparing it to a mashup of "Crazy Taxi meets Papers, Please!" on social media platform Bluesky. This description aligns with Double Fine's history of developing distinctive and often unconventional titles, including its multiplayer brawler about pottery.
Thank You Bus Driver will be released under the Double Fine Action Labs label, a new imprint for what CEO Tim Schafer described to GamesBeat as "experiments." These titles, often originating from the studio's Amnesia Fortnight game jams, are intended to be smaller, "rough and scrappy" games that allow for creative exploration without setting the same expectations as major releases like Psychonauts.
The game is not directly tied to the current Amnesia Fortnite 2026 Kickstarter campaign, which is nearing its conclusion. Thank You Bus Driver is scheduled for release on October 14 and is available to wishlist on Steam, GOG, and Itch.io.