"I Assume Someone Is Being Greedy Somewhere" - Tim Schafer Discusses Current Game Industry Woes Following Double Fine's Split with Xbox
Schafer says layoffs and studio closures have made game development economics harder to predict, even as players keep spending and studios keep hiring.
- Double Fine founder Tim Schafer said he no longer "understands the economics" of game development, citing a four-year industry downturn despite continued consumer demand and player spending.
- Xbox continues massive restructuring involving thousands of planned layoffs and studio divestments, shifting toward fewer, larger IPs; Double Fine separated as a result of this strategic realignment.
- Schafer explained he previously assumed layoffs were cyclical, with executives rehiring after cuts, but expressed confusion over four years of persistent job losses, suggesting "someone is being greedy somewhere."
- Despite industry volatility, Schafer remains "very pro Game Pass," noting it helps players discover "weird games," while the studio's divestment from Xbox sparked a "creative awakening" for independence.
- Currently, Double Fine is running a game jam for Amnesia Fortnite via Kickstarter, and while Schafer called the industry "a much more violent place to work," he hopes the downturn is cyclical.
13 Articles
13 Articles
"I assume someone is being greedy somewhere" - Tim Schafer discusses current game industry woes following Double Fine's split with Xbox
Tim Schafer - the founder of acclaimed developer Double Fine Productions, and the legendary designer behind the likes of Day of the Tentacle and Psychonauts - has spoken out about his studio's recent shift to independence, as well as Game Pass, and industry woes at large.
'I Assume It's Someone Being Greedy Somewhere' — Double Fine Founder Tim Schafer Questions Economics of the Game Industry Amid Mass Layoffs and Studio Closures
Double Fine founder Tim Schafer says he no longer “understands the economics” of game development following Xbox’s mass layoffs and industry-wide studio closures.
Veteran Dev Says He No Longer Understands Economics of Game Development
Double Fine founder Tim Schafer has questioned why the games industry is still seeing major layoffs and studio closures. Veteran Dev Says He No Longer Understands Economics of Game Development is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News
NewsGaming.net "I guess someone, somewhere, is just very greedy": Tim Schafer says he doesn't understand the crisis that the Double Fine industry is going through just a little bit from closing by buying his independence from a [...] The article "I guess someone, somewhere, is just very greedy": Tim Schafer says he doesn't understand the crisis that the industry is going through is available on NewsGaming.net
Tim Schafer, from Double Fine, doesn't understand why the video game industry hasn't recovered yet and there are still layoffs, and comments that "it's worth fighting" for his studio.
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