Even if it escaped Microsoft’s previous large-scale layoffs, it still failed to escape in the end. Double Fine Productions, which developed “Psychonauts”, recently announced the layoff of 23 employees. Studio founder Tim Schafer said that this is one of the most difficult decisions the team has made since its establishment. They would only consider such a painful choice when the survival of the studio is at stake.
I have to do it for the future of the studio.
Tim Schafer said in an official statement that Double Fine has worked hard to avoid layoffs and understands that this decision will have a huge impact on employees and their families. He emphasized that the team always puts employees first, but in the current business environment, if we want to ensure that the studio can continue to operate and develop future works, this manpower adjustment is unavoidable.
It will not affect existing projects, and the official promises to continue to develop new projects.
Double Fine stated that the layoffs will not affect projects currently in development, and the studio will continue to invest in the production of undisclosed new works. However, the wave of layoffs in the game industry has continued in recent years, and even studios with support from Microsoft’s Xbox cannot completely stay away. Double Fine’s announcement of layoffs once again reflects that the overall gaming industry is still facing cost and operational pressures.