Psychonauts Developer Acquires Full Ownership of Its Xbox Titles and Publishing Rights: “Purchasing Our Games Supports the Studio”

Double Fine, known for titles like Psychonauts, Kiln, Keeper, Costume Quest, and Brutal Legend, has officially regained its independence from Microsoft. This shift means the studio now fully owns all its intellectual property and the publishing rights to its games.

CEO Tim Schafer confirmed this during a recent podcast, addressing inquiries about the financial performance of games like Psychonauts 2, which were developed while under Microsoft’s umbrella. “Everything, we got back, the transfer of the IP came back to us,” he stated. “All, we have the publishing rights back to our games. 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. So if you’re curious, buying any of our games helps support the studio, and we can turn that money into revenue that helps us extend that runway.”

Schafer also shared that the team is currently focused on updates for Kiln, with a significant update planned for next week that will introduce new maps and game modes. Additionally, Kiln is set to receive a price drop alongside this update, making it a great time to check it out.

Earlier in the discussion, Schafer revealed that Double Fine is reviving its cherished internal game jam, Amnesia Fortnight, as a live event with a Kickstarter component. This will allow fans to vote on which games the studio should develop. The aim is to secure funding for a small Kickstarter project to provide financial stability as the studio embarks on new ventures.

Double Fine was acquired by Microsoft in 2019 and developed Psychonauts 2, Keeper, and Kiln during that time. Following a significant restructuring within Xbox, the studio has now transitioned back to independence, which included some layoffs last month. Another studio in a similar position, Compulsion Games, has also announced that its game South of Midnight, created under Xbox, is now self-published and owned by them.