Double Fine’s New Game Project Raises Half a Million Before Hitting Controversy
Double Fine Productions, developer of Psychonauts and Brütal Legend, was laid off from Xbox Games Studios during a major Microsoft restructuring in July 2026. Studio head Tim Schafer announced the studio’s return to independent development with confidence, launching the revival of Amnesia Fortnight in late August.
Amnesia Fortnight, Double Fine’s long-running internal game jam, will produce a new game project alongside a documentary. To finance the initiative, the studio launched a Kickstarter campaign, continuing its tradition of successful crowdfunding following the multi-million-dollar campaigns for Broken Age and Psychonauts 2.
The campaign invites community participation through a voting structure: backers can select their preferred concepts from a list of 12 game ideas, with four selected ideas being developed into playable prototypes. This approach aligns with Double Fine’s history of collaborative crowdfunding and fan engagement.
The project has encountered some controversy, though details remain limited in available reporting. The campaign represents Double Fine’s strategic pivot to independent game development following its separation from Microsoft, marking a return to the studio’s roots as an indie developer.