Double Fine
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | July 2000 |
| Founder | Tim Schafer |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Tim Schafer (founder) |
| Products | Psychonauts, Brütal Legend, Costume Quest, Stacking, Iron Brigade, Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, Psychonauts 2 |
Number of employees | 65 (2015) |
| Parent | Xbox Game Studios (Microsoft) |
Double Fine Productions, Inc. is a video game development company based in San Francisco, California. Established in July 2000 by Tim Schafer soon after his departure from LucasArts, Double Fine functions as a first-party developer within Xbox Game Studios. The studio’s initial releases, Psychonauts and Brütal Legend, earned critical praise but did not achieve strong commercial success. To stabilize its operations, Double Fine began creating smaller titles derived from internal prototypes developed during "Amnesia Fortnight," a twice-yearly internal game jam that Schafer later adapted to include fan voting for project selection. The company was among the pioneers of crowdfunding in the gaming industry, successfully raising over for Broken Age and exceeding US$3 million on Kickstarter for Psychonauts 2.
Expanding beyond development, Double Fine also ventured into publishing smaller indie developers and acquired the rights to remaster classic LucasArts adventure games such as Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, and Full Throttle. In June 2019, Microsoft purchased Double Fine, incorporating it into Xbox Game Studios while preserving the studio’s creative autonomy. This acquisition helped resolve previous difficulties with securing publishing partners and utilized Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass platform to expand audience reach. By 2015, Double Fine had a workforce of approximately 65 employees.
History
Double Fine was founded in July 2000 by Tim Schafer and associates who previously worked at LucasArts during its transition from adventure games to action titles. Schafer, recognized for his critically acclaimed yet commercially underperforming work on Grim Fandango, left LucasArts to create an independent studio dedicated to producing innovative games. The company began operations in a San Francisco clog store alongside programmers David Dixon and Jonathan Menzies, gradually expanding as development on Psychonauts progressed.
Since 2011, Double Fine has maintained several small teams of about 15 members each capable of independently delivering full game projects. For larger undertakings like Psychonauts 2, these teams temporarily combine before returning to their smaller group structures. The studio’s name is inspired by a "double fine zone" sign found on the Golden Gate Bridge, and its mascot—the Two-Headed Baby (2HB)—is also associated with its proprietary development tools.
Microsoft’s acquisition announcement at E3 2019 brought Double Fine under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, providing financial security and access to Xbox Game Pass’s subscription service—critical elements that support ongoing innovation and market growth. Schafer emphasized this partnership as a strategic opportunity to reach wider audiences without sacrificing creative freedom. By mid-2021, Schafer commended Microsoft’s approach of “limited integration,” which enabled Double Fine to concentrate on creative efforts while Microsoft handled financial responsibilities. In 2023, the studio released PsychOdyssey, a documentary chronicling the making of Psychonauts 2, demonstrating Double Fine’s dedication to transparency and its influence within the industry.
Projects
Double Fine's inaugural major title was Psychonauts, a platform game released on multiple systems, centered on Raz, a boy with psychic abilities aspiring to join the elite Psychonauts organization. Although it received widespread critical praise, its initial commercial performance was limited.[1]
Their follow-up, Brütal Legend, merged real-time strategy with action-adventure gameplay, narrating the story of Eddie Riggs, a heavy metal roadie trapped in a demon-controlled fantasy realm. Drawing heavily from heavy metal lore, the game was published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and later PC.[2]
Amnesia Fortnight
During the development of Brütal Legend, Activision discontinued the project following its acquisition of Vivendi Games, compelling Schafer to seek alternate publishing options. Around 2007, Schafer introduced "Amnesia Fortnight," an internal two-week game jam where teams developed prototypes unrelated to ongoing projects. This initiative elevated team morale and resulted in four prototypes: Custodians Of The Clock, Happy Song, Love Puzzle, and Tiny Personal Ninja.[3]
Subsequently, two additional prototypes were created: Costume Quest and Stacking.[4] Schafer attributes the inspiration for this approach to film director Wong Kar-Wai’s creative breaks during production.[5] Eventually, Electronic Arts published Brütal Legend.
The Amnesia Fortnight sessions became crucial to Double Fine's sustainability.[6] After EA canceled the planned sequel to Brütal Legend, Schafer concentrated on transforming four of the eight Amnesia Fortnight prototypes into smaller-scale titles aimed at digital distribution platforms, motivated by successes like Geometry Wars.[7] Two of these games, Costume Quest and Stacking, were commercially successful releases on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network via THQ publishing.[8]
Originally titled Custodians Of The Clock, Iron Brigade launched as an Xbox Live Arcade game with support from Microsoft Game Studios and garnered favorable reviews.[9] The fourth game, Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, evolved from the prototype Happy Song and was published by Warner Bros. Interactive alongside Sesame Workshop for Kinect-enabled Xbox 360 consoles—marking Double Fine's debut in licensed properties.[10]
Leadership of these projects was entrusted to former leads from Brütal Legend: animator Tasha Harris helmed Costume Quest, art director Lee Petty oversaw Stacking, designer Brad Muir managed Iron Brigade, and programmer Nathan Martz led Once Upon a Monster. This fostered internal leadership growth supported by industry veterans.[11] The studio maintained its entire workforce throughout this period and brought aboard industry veteran Ron Gilbert to spearhead new projects.[12] Schafer noted a strategic pivot toward smaller teams working on focused projects to capitalize on accumulated expertise.[13]
In 2011, another round of Amnesia Fortnight produced several prototypes including the superhero management simulation Middle Manager Of Justice; Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, set in the world of Psychonauts; and Brazen, a four-player online cooperative game inspired by Monster Hunter.[14]
In November 2012, Double Fine collaborated with Humble Bundle for Amnesia Fortnight 2012, a charitable event where contributors voted among 23 concepts. The top five were developed into prototypes: action-adventure puzzle title Hack 'n' Slash led by Brandon Dillon; space simulation Spacebase DF-9 headed by JP LeBreton; an ambient platformer called The White Birch under Andy Wood; retro-futuristic sandbox experience Autonomous directed by Lee Petty; and exploration game Black Lake led by Levi Ryken. Buyers also received earlier prototypes such as Costume Quest, Happy Song, and Brazen. Production was documented by 2 Player Productions.[15]
At E3 2013, Indie Fund announced support for two Double Fine titles. The first was an expanded commercial version of the prototype Spacebase DF-9, distributed via Steam Early Access but halted development at "Alpha 6e" following community dissatisfaction due to its sudden cancellation.[16] The second was Hack 'n' Slash, also originating from Amnesia Fortnight, which launched through Early Access in early 2014.[17]
Additionally, an expanded free release of the prototype Autonomous debuted for Leap Motion devices in November 2013.[18]
In February 2014, Double Fine and Humble Bundle hosted another fundraising event titled Amnesia Fortnight 2014. Participants who contributed financially voted among 29 concepts; those contributing above average gained access to vote on a prototype led by Pendleton Ward (creator of Adventure Time). Four concepts were developed into prototypes: emergent narrative game Dear Leader (Anna Kipnis), creature companionship game Little Pink Best Buds (Pendleton Ward), surreal noir adventure titled Mnemonic (Derek Brand), and storybook-themed game called Steed (John Bernhelm). Production footage was again provided by 2 Player Productions. A rejected pitch named Bad Golf 2 was later independently developed by fans with Double Fine’s approval.[19]
In April 2017, Double Fine partnered again with Humble Bundle for a third public Amnesia Fortnight event. Two prototypes—The Gods Must Be Hungry and Darwin's Dinner—were selected through public voting. Tim Schafer personally chose multiplayer VR party game prototype I Have No Idea What I'm Doing, while the team selected competitive four-player title Kiln. Additionally, three fan-submitted pitches—Pongball, The Lost Dev Team, and Amnesia Adventure—were developed into prototypes under mentorship from Double Fine developers; among these, fan favorite ‘’Pongball’’ was included in prototype downloads. This model balanced community involvement with strategic internal direction.[20]
Dracogen funding
Double Fine obtained investment from Steven Dengler’s Dracogen following a 2011 Twitter interaction where Schafer estimated porting costs for Double Fine’s games to PC at approximately Template:US$. This led to an official agreement to port titles such as ‘’Psychonauts’’ to macOS and bring ‘’Costume Quest’’ and ‘’Stacking’’ to Windows.
A subsequent deal financed three mobile games for iOS platforms, beginning with ‘’Middle Manager of Justice’’, a simulation RPG focused on managing superhero teams and engaging in battles. Dengler’s children contributed artwork for this title, which launched on iOS in December 2012 and later on Android in August 2013.
Dracogen also funded ‘’Dropchord’’, a motion-controlled rhythm puzzle game available on macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. It served as a launch title for Leap Motion’s Airspace app store in July 2013.
By 2012, Dengler had invested roughly $1 million into Double Fine, empowering the studio to explore self-publishing opportunities and consider triple-A projects backed by Dracogen’s capital infusion. Schafer credits this partnership with significant expansion in company operations and influence within the market.
Crowdfunding
In February 2012, Double Fine teamed up with 2 Player Productions to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for ‘’Double Fine Adventure’’, an adventure game featuring artwork from in-house artist Nathan Stapley. The campaign sought $300,000 for development plus $100,000 for documenting the game's creation process. It achieved its $400,000 target within nine hours and surpassed $1 million in just one day, becoming Kickstarter’s most-funded project until overtaken by the Pebble watch in April 2012. Developed using Moai technology, the game released episodically: Act 1 debuted in early 2014 followed by Act 2 in April 2015.
On May 30, 2013, Double Fine initiated a second Kickstarter campaign for ‘’Massive Chalice’’, a strategy title available on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms directed by Brad Muir. This effort continued their business model of utilizing crowdfunding to finance niche genre games that foster strong community involvement.
Additional projects through publishers
Although crowdfunding has enabled greater independence for Double Fine, the company continues selective partnerships with publishers aligned with its vision and objectives. CEO Tim Schafer highlighted this strategic evolution toward self-publishing that allows choosing collaborators who share their creative philosophy.
In February 2012, Double Fine released ‘’Double Fine Happy Action Theater’’ on Xbox 360 Kinect via Microsoft Game Studios. More an interactive experience than a traditional game, it used augmented reality technology to engage users in playful activities. This marked Schafer’s first directorial role since ‘’Brütal Legend’’ (2009) and drew inspiration from accessibility challenges encountered during ‘’Once Upon a Monster’’. Its sequel, ‘’Kinect Party’’, expanded upon these ideas and launched in December 2012 under Microsoft’s publishing.
On February 22, 2012, Double Fine filed a trademark for “The Cave,” later unveiled as an adventure-platformer developed during Ron Gilbert’s tenure at the studio. Published by Sega in January 2013, ‘’The Cave’’ represented an important collaboration before Gilbert amicably departed to pursue other endeavors.
At PAX Prime 2013, Double Fine announced ‘’My Alien Buddy’’, a free downloadable content expansion for ‘’The Playroom’’ on PlayStation 4. Leveraging augmented reality expertise gained from prior projects, this interactive toy was released in December that year.
In November 2014, Double Fine experienced setbacks when a publishing agreement fell through resulting in cancellation of an undisclosed project along with layoffs affecting twelve employees.
Following Nordic Games’ acquisition of publishing rights to ‘’Costume Quest’’, ‘’Stacking’’, as well as distribution rights for ‘’Psychonauts’’ after THQ’s bankruptcy proceedings, Double Fine regained full publishing control early in 2014. Nordic Games continued retail distribution across Windows and macOS platforms.
This diversification of their portfolio alongside strategic publisher collaborations demonstrates Double Fine’s adaptive business approach balancing creative autonomy with market expansion to maintain growth and industry relevance.
Double Fine Presents
In March 2014, Double Fine introduced Double Fine Presents, a publishing program designed to assist indie developers by offering funding support as well as publishing and marketing resources. Originating during ‘’Amnesia Fortnight 2014’’, this initiative aimed to empower independent studios through tools and community engagement without creating dependencies typical of conventional publishing models—as explained by COO Justin Bailey.
The first release under this label was ‘’Escape Goat 2’’ from MagicalTimeBean followed by ‘’Last Life’’ by Rocket Science Amusements; Double Fine assisted with Kickstarter campaign preparation for both projects. Later additions included David OReilly’s minimalist experience ‘’Mountain’’ and Boneloaf’s multiplayer brawler ‘’Gang Beasts’’, which entered Steam Early Access in August 2014. Puzzle-adventure title ‘’GNOG’’ from KO_OP joined the label in 2016.
After Microsoft acquired Double Fine in June 2019, the future of Double Fine Presents became uncertain. Founder Tim Schafer suggested that while formal publishing might cease under this label, support for indie developers would continue through community events like Day of the Devs. Titles such as ‘’Ooblets’’ transitioned back to self-publishing post-acquisition while others like ‘’Knights and Bikes’’ remained within the program. By mid-2020, even ‘’Gang Beasts’’ moved toward self-publishing as Double Fine scaled back its publishing activities.
Events
Since 2012, Double Fine has collaborated with iam8bit to host the annual free festival known as ’’Day of the Devs’’ in San Francisco. This event offers food and beverages alongside playable demos of upcoming indie titles—highlighting Double Fine’s commitment to supporting indie gaming communities while bolstering its industry profile.
Double Fine Comics
Double Fine Comics is a webcomic collective nurtured by Double Fine Productions that reflects the quirky humor characteristic of their games such as ’’Psychonauts.’’ These comics are published on the company website showcasing creative works consistent with Double Fine's brand identity.
Double Fine Action Comics
Created by Scott Campbell, ’’Double Fine Action Comics’’ features characters including Two-Headed Baby—the company mascot—a strongman figure, and a knight among others. The series explores diverse themes reinforcing Double Fine’s creative culture. By 2006 it reached its milestone of over 400 installments but has since experienced periodic hiatuses.
In 2008, the first collection comprising three hundred comics was published as ’’Double Fine Action Comics by Scott C (Volume 1)’’, including a foreword penned by founder Tim Schafer. A second volume gathering two hundred additional strips appeared in 2013 featuring an introduction by Erik Wolpaw, further expanding their branded content offerings.
Epic Saga and Happy Funnies
Artist Raz produces two webcomic series: ’’Epic Saga’’, styled after classic adventure games like ’’King's Quest’’ and ’’The Secret of Monkey Island,’’ alongside ’’Happy Funnies,’’ which presents wordless strips depicting absurd scenarios. Both series appear currently inactive.
An adaptation of ’’Epic Saga’’ took form as a free flash fighting game titled ’’Epic Saga: Extreme Fighter’’, developed by Klint Honeychurch, available via Double Fine’s website—enhancing digital engagement strategies.
My Comic About Me
Created by Nathan Stapley, this semi-autobiographical comic blends personal stories with pop culture references including characters like Indiana Jones, Chewbacca, and O-Ren Ishii. The strip is currently on hiatus.
Klint Honeychurch developed a related flash game called ’’My Game About Me: Olympic Challenge’’, satirizing sports events through unconventional gameplay mechanics—reflecting Double Fine’s innovative product approach.
Snapshots
Formerly known as ’’Polaroids,’’ ’’Snapshots’’ is Mark Hamer’s comic series featuring realistic Polaroid-style paintings accompanied by humorous captions.
In 2013 these comics were compiled into a book entitled ’’Snapshots,’’ including forewords authored by Tim Schafer and introductions from Scott Campbell (artist), reinforcing brand identity through diverse media formats.
Tasha's Comic
Created by Tasha Harris, this semi-autobiographical comic debuted in January 2008 portraying her life alongside her boyfriend and two cats. After Harris left Double Fine in September 2011 it continued on her personal blog "Tasha's Quest Log" until around 2013; its current status is unknown.
Inspired by this comic was ’’Tasha's Game,’’ a free flash puzzle-platformer developed by Klint Honeychurch where players help Tasha rescue family members using her cat Snoopy as an interactive cursor to place platforms enabling progression through levels.
Games created
| Year | Title | Publisher(s) | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Psychonauts | Double Fine Productions Majesco Entertainment |
Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox |
| 2007 | Epic Saga: Extreme Fighter | Double Fine Productions | Browser |
| 2008 | My Game About Me: Olympic Challenge | Double Fine Productions | Browser |
| Tasha's Game | Double Fine Productions | Browser | |
| 2009 | Host Master and the Conquest of Humor | Double Fine Productions | Browser |
| Brütal Legend | Double Fine Productions Electronic Arts |
Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 | |
| 2010 | Costume Quest | Double Fine Productions THQ |
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
| 2011 | Stacking | Double Fine Productions | Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
| Iron Brigade | Double Fine Productions Microsoft Studios |
Windows, Xbox 360 | |
| Psychonauts Vault Viewer! | Double Fine Productions | iOS | |
| Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Xbox 360 | |
| 2012 | Double Fine Happy Action Theater | Microsoft Studios | Xbox 360 |
| Middle Manager of Justice | Double Fine Productions | Android, iOS | |
| Amnesia Fortnight 2012 | Double Fine Productions | Windows | |
| Kinect Party | Microsoft Studios | Xbox 360 | |
| 2013 | The Cave | Double Fine Productions Sega |
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360 |
| Host Master Deux: Quest for Identity | Double Fine Productions | Browser | |
| Dropchord | Double Fine Productions | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | |
| Autonomous | Double Fine Productions | Windows |
Games published
| Year | Title | Developer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Escape Goat 2 | MagicalTimeBean | |
| Mountain | David OReilly | ||
| 2016 | 140 | Jeppe Carlsen Abstraction Games |
Available only on consoles |
| Thoth | Jeppe Carlsen | ||
| 2017 | Everything | David OReilly | |
| GNOG | KO OP | ||
| Gang Beasts | Boneloaf | Published until May 2020 | |
| 2019 | KIDS | Playables | |
| Knights and Bikes | Foam Sword |
Awards
- Best New Studio at Game Developers Conference (2006)
- Developer of the Year by Official Xbox Magazine (2011)
External links
- Official website
- "The Amnesia Fortnight Movie" presented by Double Fine