Double Fine Productions, the studio behind Psychonauts and Brütal Legend, has officially regained the publishing rights to its entire catalog following its separation from Xbox. CEO Tim Schafer confirmed the development during an appearance on Kinda Funny Games Daily, marking another milestone in the ongoing wave of former Microsoft-owned studios reclaiming independence.
“The transfer of the IP came back to us. We have the publishing rights back to our games,” Schafer explained in the interview. “It still says ‘Microsoft’ on some of them, but it just takes a while for it all to process. When people buy our games, it supports the studio.”
The rights transfer means that revenue from Double Fine’s back catalog — including the beloved Psychonauts series and the 2019 reimagining of Psychonauts 2 — now flows directly to the studio rather than through Microsoft. Schafer urged fans to show their support by purchasing the games during this transitional period, noting that every sale helps extend the studio’s operational runway.
This development follows a similar move by South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games, which recently announced it had secured publishing rights to all of its titles. Both studios were part of the wave of layoffs and studio closures that swept through Xbox’s first-party division earlier this year.
Double Fine hasn’t stopped at regaining control of its existing work. The studio is also planning the return of its beloved Amnesia Fortnight Game Jam, a tradition where team members split into small groups to prototype new game concepts over two weeks. A Kickstarter campaign launching August 31st will give backers the chance to vote on which prototypes get developed further.
The news comes with a bittersweet undertone, as Double Fine laid off approximately 25% of its staff just last month following its departure from Xbox. Schafer acknowledged the difficult reality of operating independently, describing the studio’s current position as “a runway, not a freeway” — a finite window to establish sustainability on their own terms.
For Steam players, the rights transfer is welcome news. Double Fine’s games remain available on the platform, and supporting them now directly benefits the studio’s future. With the Amnesia Fortnight event on the horizon, there’s renewed hope that the studio known for its creative ambition will continue delivering the kind of unique experiences that made it a beloved name in PC gaming.
You can find Double Fine’s catalog on Steam.
Dan Kowalski reviews games by listening to what they do before believing what they promise. He cares about responsive combat, purposeful sound design, satisfying movement, and whether a game respects the player’s time. Dan will forgive technical roughness when the underlying experience is exceptional. He will forgive almost anything for a brilliant combat system—but never a tutorial that refuses to stop talking.
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