Earlier this year, Double Fine completed its split from Microsoft. Recently, the studio confirmed that the intellectual property and publishing rights for all games developed during its seven years under Xbox have returned (or are returning) to the studio.
Studio CEO Tim Schafer confirmed this news on the "Kinda Funny Games" show (source: IGN). A fan asked whether purchasing Double Fine's past titles—including Psychonauts 2, Guardians, and The Cave—would truly benefit the studio.
Schafer responded: "I saw someone ask, 'Will the revenue from these games go to you?' The IPs have been transferred back to us, and we've regained publishing rights for all the games."
He also mentioned that rights to "some games" are still temporarily held by Xbox, noting that "it will take some time to complete the entire process."
Schafer emphasized: "If people are willing to support us, buying any of our games helps the studio. This revenue can be converted into operating funds, helping us extend development cycles and go further."
Schafer also revealed that the studio plans to revive its classic "Amnesia Fortnight" game creation event, which will be conducted via Kickstarter crowdfunding. Supporters will be able to vote on which prototype becomes the studio's next full development project. The event is scheduled to start on August 31 and run through mid-to-late September.
This marks the first time Double Fine has clearly disclosed its ownership status following Xbox's structural adjustments. In July, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced a major restructuring, affecting approximately 3,200 positions across the department. Several studios, including Double Fine, were spun off to become independent entities again, while retaining their own IPs and previous game libraries.
During the transition, Double Fine itself laid off about a quarter of its staff—originally 90 employees. The studio stated at the time that the layoffs were intended to reduce the team size to a level "sustainable in the long term."
Compulsion Games, another studio separated from Xbox during this restructuring (known for We Happy Few and South of Midnight), has also confirmed it retains ownership of all its IPs.