Double Fine lays off 23 staff shortly after regaining its independence
Weeks after Xbox formally separated from four of its studios, Tim Schafer's team confirms cuts affecting nearly a quarter of its headcount.
Earlier this month Xbox formally separated from four of its studios, among them Compulsion Games (South of Midnight) and Double Fine. Independence has arrived with an immediate cost: Double Fine has confirmed it is letting go of 23 employees.
The studio said the cuts affect roles across production and support functions, and that affected staff will receive severance and portfolio support. Leadership framed the decision as sizing the team to what an independent studio can fund without a platform holder covering overhead.
It is a familiar pattern. Studios spun out of a publisher rarely leave with the budget that sustained them, and the first year outside is usually the one that decides whether the spin-out was a rescue or a delayed closure.
Double Fine says its current project remains in development. If you are hiring, the studio has asked that outreach go through its social channels — several affected staff are already listing availability publicly.
