It is solely been a couple of months since developer Double Positive’s cut up from Microsoft, however the group behind Psychonauts 2, Kiln, and Keeper is trying forward. With one other profitable Kickstarter marketing campaign below its belt, the newly unbiased studio’s second (or ought to that be third?) life as an indie is off to an optimistic begin. With the present Kickstarter specializing in the developer’s newest Amenesia Fortnight — a developer-run sport jam the place new micro video games are produced — it is permitting the builders to construct up some much-needed runway as they plan for his or her subsequent main undertaking.
At PAX West 2026, we spoke with Double Positive studio head and president, Tim Schafer, in regards to the developer’s present path ahead. Together with speaking about his return to independence following the largest restructure in Xbox historical past, Schafer mirrored on Double Positive’s years below Microsoft’s banner, and defined how Recreation Cross can nonetheless doubtlessly work as a subscription service. He additionally reaffirmed his dedication to creating Brutal Legend 2 (supplied somebody can entrance the cash for it).
IGN: It has been seven years because the Microsoft acquisition, and the sport business has gone via a lot change. What’s it been wish to return to being an unbiased developer?
Tim Schafer: It has been exhilarating. Like, it is scary as a result of we have to make our personal approach on the earth, however we did that for 19 years earlier than Microsoft, so we’ve a whole lot of nice concepts and a whole lot of expertise pitching them. Lots of people know it is a robust time on the market. Lots of people, and now particularly a whole lot of the older builders, are gone. Quite a lot of the previous avenues we used for funding are gone, however there are a whole lot of new ones. So we’re simply placing ourselves on the market, assembly a whole lot of new folks, and speaking about who needs to make video games with us.
IGN: I feel what’s been nice to see with Double Positive is that it has a core viewers of gamers which might be invested in seeing the studio thrive. I keep in mind the unique Kickstarter marketing campaign for Damaged Age was an enormous breakthrough for Double Positive.
Schafer: Yeah, I imply that type of factor was fairly like an enormous monetary affect, however it was additionally an awakening of simply how tight we’re with the neighborhood, like how dependent we’re on them, and the way a lot they’re keen to take part. You realize what I imply? As a result of they take part financially, but additionally creatively. Like, they actually need to make artwork as properly. I really feel like that is one thing particular about our followers, and it is as a result of our primary factor is creativity. So I feel it breeds a fan who additionally likes creativity, and I feel it, hopefully, helps our video games encourage not simply gamers, however folks to love studying to attract or program, or, you already know, individuals who need to know find out how to make a sport.
IGN: Now that you’re an unbiased developer once more, and with all this consideration on you, do you’re feeling there is a sure duty positioned on you all to make it as an indie studio?
Schafer: I do not see it as a duty. I imply, I do not anticipate anyone to have a look at us and know what to do, as a result of our state of affairs at all times feels actually distinctive to Double Positive and me. Like we’re an indie sport studio, however we’ve a whole lot of workers, and we’ve healthcare, and we’ve a whole lot of stuff like that. There’s not a whole lot of corporations our measurement anymore, like AA-size studios, type of. So, I would not say do all the things that we do. I hope nobody’s following our instance as a result of I do not know if it really works for anybody however us.
IGN: The Kickstarter for the Amnesia Fortnight is an attention-grabbing method to begin this comeback, it is all about this massive push to supply some new concepts and produce to life.
Schafer: It is type of like a celebration of what we will do now that was more durable to do earlier than. Even being at PAX, Microsoft often likes to have one massive sales space. So having little cubicles throughout will not be what they’re into. They don’t seem to be even right here on the present. So being unbiased, we will come to PAX, we will discuss to the followers, we will set the costs of our video games. We are able to do tiny video games like Thank You Bus Driver, which is a brand new undertaking for us, and we made an entire particular label for them referred to as Double Positive Motion Labs, the place we will launch smaller concepts, do sport jams, and do the type of issues we love to do. So it is a celebration of each what we will do and what we love to do, which is high-bandwidth interplay with the followers, doing foolish artistic issues, and simply having a whole lot of enjoyable.
IGN: I’d be remiss to not say that lots of people took discover of the Kickstarter mentioning that Brutal Legend 2 will be made when you safe $100 million. I perceive it was meant as a joke…
Schafer: I imply, it was a joke, but additionally, it isn’t a joke. Certain, I imply, if we obtained $100 million, we might do it for positive. I’d fortunately put all the things apart and make Brutal Legend 2, so long as I might discuss Jack Black into it. Yeah, but when we obtained $100 million, that is nice. Yeah, I might do a demo for $100 [laughs]. However it’s not a joke — I’d do it if we hit that aim. We’re in all probability not going to hit that, although. However any wealthy guys on the market, when you ever need to see Brutal Legend 2, come assist us out.
IGN: Now that you just’re again as an unbiased developer, how do you’re feeling about these seven years working below Microsoft? Would you say that it was a beneficial expertise in the long run?
Schafer: I discovered quite a bit from it, and it was a very nice expertise total. They invested quite a bit within the firm, and their mission was to help Recreation Cross and different initiatives. So for some time, we had been very carefully aligned, and it was nice. It was a fantastic partnership, after which their objectives modified, and so we parted methods due to that.
However I really feel like, within the meantime, we had a fantastic little assortment of studios inside Xbox Recreation Studios, like Compulsion, Ninja Principle, Obsidian, and inXile. We obtained to fulfill all of the studio heads and discuss to them, and our programmers obtained to speak. Their programmers are artists, and everybody was exchanging concepts and know-how, and it was actually a fantastic studying expertise about how different corporations are run. So, since you’re unbiased, you are slightly extra like an island. So, being an island that was quickly pushed, hitched as much as a bunch of different islands was very a lot, “Oh, that is a cool sport proper there, we might go play that sport.”
IGN: Recreation Cross was such an enormous a part of the Xbox model’s push for a bigger video games viewers. Do you’re feeling that Recreation Cross nonetheless has worth and potential as a service?
Schafer: I actually need Recreation Cross to work. I like the thought of subscription fashions for corporations like us, who, you already know, decrease the barrier to entry for everybody. We need to make video games which might be bizarre and inventive, that you just may not perceive at first. I feel that is the type of stuff we love to do. Do folks see the important thing artwork and go like, “What?” And if it is on a subscription, you’ve got already type of paid for the sport. You would be extra prone to attempt it, in order that sounds good.
However there are different methods to achieve folks like that, like decreasing your costs, for instance. You realize, getting folks to attempt your video games like that. I feel it might have labored. I do not perceive why Netflix labored and Recreation Cross did not, and I feel that is one thing I simply do not know sufficient about, however that is the best way it’s. So now we’re taking one other method: making it actually reasonably priced.
IGN: It has been attention-grabbing to see the rise of those micro-games, ones which might be pretty modest in idea, however supply selection and enjoyable for teams of gamers. I do know the time period “friendslop” is used quite a bit, however I type of see a few of Double Positive’s video games, and experimental ones, being proper at house with these kinds of video games – notably Kiln.
Schafer: Yeah, I feel the distinction is multiplayer. We’ve constructed a ton of multiplayer, however the factor about these video games type of aligns with what we’re doing with our Amnesia Fortnight, which is simply making an attempt stuff. Quite a lot of these video games got here from sport jams. I feel the sport Peak got here from a sport jam, and we simply need to give everybody within the firm an opportunity. Actually, folks really feel protected to experiment and check out artistic concepts, after which to not spend $300 million on them, simply spend like sticky bus drivers for six weeks, put it on the market, and simply see what you already know.
The factor about these ‘friendslop’ video games, folks largely concentrate on successes, however there’s tons of them that do not work out. I feel the thought is that you just by no means know which one’s going to take off, so do not financial institution the way forward for your organization on anyone particular person concept for positive. However these video games had been referred to as “friendjank” for awhile, you do not forget that? It is also about informal pacing, it is mainly video games the place it is largely about hanging out with your folks.
Xbox Video games Sequence Tier Listing
Xbox Video games Sequence Tier Listing
IGN: What are your ideas on the state of the business now? There’s been a whole lot of stories and tales of builders struggling to remain open and a few creatives having to go away the sphere. Do you’re feeling optimistic that issues can enhance?
Schafer: It is a shitty time on the market, and it has been getting worse for longer than I’ve ever seen it worsen. I often attempt to consolation folks by saying to the group, “Nicely, there are cycles, there are downturns, however it at all times turns again up once more since you want folks to make video games, and that comes and goes.” However this has been occurring for no less than 4 years, and I really feel like I’ve by no means seen a cycle plunge so low.
Is it a everlasting change in simply the economics of all of it? However individuals are nonetheless wanted to make video games. It isn’t like AI has changed everyone, and for all of the speak about it changing Google, it isn’t successfully changing anyone proper now. So the place are all these jobs going? I nonetheless see a bunch of video games getting made, and individuals are nonetheless wanted. So I want I had been smarter and knew the reply to that. However it looks like you want folks to make video games, and so there needs to be a ton of alternatives, and so they’re nonetheless making some huge cash.
For creatives, it’s a must to have enjoyable making video games as a result of they’re actually onerous to make. Quite a lot of these folks might make greater than cash in a tech firm, in order that they’re right here as a result of they love video games. And when you’re right here since you love video games, then it’s best to love what you are doing, love making video games, and have enjoyable.
Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Photographs.
