Tim Schafer: Game Industry Economics Broken by Greed, Four-Year Downturn Unexplained
Double Fine's founder questions why layoffs persist despite healthy game sales and player engagement.
What to know
- Tim Schafer says the game industry's four-year downturn defies logic: players are engaged, revenue is flowing, yet layoffs persist—which he attributes to executive greed.
- Double Fine learned of its potential Xbox closure through online rumors, not official notification, and negotiated independence rather than shutdown.
- Both AAA and indie developers face precarity: AAA workers are laid off after shipping games; indie teams risk insolvency. Schafer argues the industry attracts passionate creators willing to accept instability.
“It's just that, it's been a much more violent place to work in AAA, you know, much more stressful, and your work is often not as rewarded, because you will get laid off as soon as you finish your game.”
Tim Schafer, Double Fine founder · BBC interview ↗ · Sep 22
Tim Schafer Double Fine founderXbox Publisher and console maker
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Double Fine learned of Xbox shutdown threat through rumors, negotiated independence
Schafer revealed that Double Fine was not formally notified of Xbox's plan to shut down the studio; the team learned through online rumors and then negotiated to become independent rather than face closure.
“We have heard the rumors, then the rumors were true, and then we decided we wanted to go it alone, and worked in negotiations, and now we have sprung forth into the world again.”
— Tim Schafer -
God tier story telling, interesting and fun artwork, engaging mechanics and fun puzzles, whats not to love?
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Schafer attributes layoffs to greed, compares AAA and indie risks
Schafer said he assumes 'someone is being greedy somewhere' but hopes the cycle bounces back. He noted AAA studios are more volatile and stressful, with developers laid off after shipping games, while indie developers risk running out of money. Both sectors attract people driven by passion rather than stability.
“I just assume it's, like, someone is being greedy somewhere. But I hope it is a cycle, and I hope it bounces back.”
— Tim Schafer -
2 outlets Double Fine's Tim Schafer on Games Industry Job Losses: "Someone is Being Greedy Somewhere"
first by Insider Gaming, 8h ago · also Video Games Chronicle
1 more headline
- ‘I just assume someone is being greedy’: Double Fine’s Tim Schafer says he doesn’t know why the industry isn’t recovering Video Games Chronicle · 8h ago
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first by IGN, 4h ago
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background
Schafer tells BBC he no longer understands game industry economics — In a BBC video interview, Double Fine founder Tim Schafer explained that he once understood the industry as cyclical—layoffs followed by rehiring—but says the current downturn has lasted four years with no recovery, despite continued game sales and revenue. He attributes this to greed.