Double Fine, the studio behind titles such as Psychonauts 2, has returned to independence after its transition away from Xbox earlier this year. The studio has now regained full publishing rights for all games developed under Microsoft, with CEO Tim Schafer confirming that all revenue generated from sales of these titles now directly supports the studio.
While digital storefronts like Steam may still list Xbox Game Studios as the publisher for games like Psychonauts 2 and Costume Quest, Schafer explained this is a temporary administrative delay. "Everything we got back, the transfer of the IP came back to us, and we got the publishing rights back for all our games," he stated on the Kinda Funny podcast. "When people buy our games it helps support the studio."
This shift allows Double Fine to retain 100% of the revenue from its back catalog. The studio is also preparing to launch a Kickstarter campaign later this month centered around its annual Amnesia Fortnight game jam. This event has historically served as an incubator for new game ideas, with past projects like Costume Quest and Stacking originating from it. The upcoming campaign will be documented for a film, and backers will have a say in which concepts are developed into smaller games.
Schafer indicated that both game sales revenue and the Kickstarter campaign are crucial for providing the studio with the necessary resources to develop and pitch new projects to publishers. This move towards independence follows a period of restructuring at Microsoft, which included layoffs at Xbox and the divestment of several studios. Double Fine itself underwent a reduction in staff last month, aiming for a sustainable operational size.
Compulsion Games, another studio that transitioned away from Microsoft, has similarly announced the recovery of its publishing rights and confirmed that direct game purchases will support its future endeavors. In addition to promoting the Kickstarter, Double Fine has announced a significant update for its multiplayer pottery brawler, Kiln, which is set to include new maps, modes, and a price reduction next week.