Double Fine is reportedly ‘winding down’ its publishing label due to its sale to Xbox

Double Fine is “winding down” its Presents indie game publishing label, a developer has claimed.

In a post detailing its own seperation from the Psychonauts studio, Gang Beasts developer Boneloaf claimed that Double Fine’s acquisition by Xbox was the reason behind its step away from publishing.

“What Tim and his company built is pretty wonderful, but with Double Fine Presents winding down due to Double Fine’s acquisition by Xbox Game Studios last year, we think it is a good time for Boneloaf to stand on its own… legs and publish Gang Beasts ourselves,” the studio said.

The Double Fine Presents label had published several indie games including Knights and Bikes, Gnog and Everything.

Double Fine’s CEO, Tim Schafer had himself said he was unsure if the developer would continue to publish indie games following its acquisition by Microsoft.

Speaking to Destructoid, Schafer said he didn’t know if it made sense to operate as “a publisher within [another publisher]”.

“How Double Fine Presents will evolve is kind of an unknown,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to do exactly the kind of publishing stuff if we can’t do it– like if the platforms are limited.

“From a business sense, I don’t know if it structurally makes sense to have a publisher within [another publisher]. It’s a complicated issue.”

However, the company founder said even if Double Fine didn’t continue to publish games, it would still aim to continue helping indies with initiatives such as its annual Day of the Devs event, which it uses to help indie developers promote their titles.

Shortly after the acquisition in summer 2019, Double Fine’s business development VP Greg Rice left to join PlayStation.