Double Fine Cuts a Dozen Staff Members

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

Double Fine Cuts a Dozen Staff Members

The cancellation of an unannounced title resulted in a staff reduction at Tim Schafer's development studio.

Just about a month after the release of GamesIndustry.biz [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/132802-Costume-Quest-2-Coming-This-October] that the layoffs were due to the unexpected cancellation of an unannounced game.

"One of our unannounced projects was unexpectedly canceled by its publisher, forcing us to reduce our staff by 12 people," according to Schafer. The silver lining is that this isn't bad news for the Double Fine games that have been announced; development will continue as usual for Grim Fandango Remastered [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129274-Double-Fines-Broken-Age-All-About-Context-Based-Interaction-Not-Verbs].

Layoffs are an unfortunate reality [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/layoffs?from_search=1] of the gaming industry, but that doesn't make the news any less sad to hear. It's a shame Double Fine's canceled project won't come to fruition, and even worse that a dozen staffers are out of a job. We wish them the best of luck.

Source: Polygon [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-11-21-double-fine-loses-12-staff]

Permalink

 

[Slayer4472]

I guess DJ Phil Fish was more expensive than they expected.

Seriously though, Double Fine doesn't seem to know how to manage their finances well- frankly, I'm surprised that they haven't gone bankrupt yet.

 

[Dalisclock]

Speaking of Broken age, when it Part 2 coming out again? You kind of owe us some explanation of what's the hold up, Double fine.

Seriously, Tim, I love your games but you need to actually RELEASE GAMES for me to love. I really don't want Double Fine to become Baby Valve as far as actually releasing on time.

 

[ShakerSilver]

I guess it's hard to keep finances secure when you somehow manage to overspend a 3.3 million dollar budget for a $400,000 game and only have enough to make half of it, begging fans for more money to finish the second part.

And when you release a game as Early Access as a means of financing it then just shut down all development when you've made enough money.

And when you host a huge, open-door party 2 years in a row.

And when you're stationed in San Fran-fucking-cisco.

Double Fine needs better management. Tim is obviously not cut out for this shit, he's just the idea guy. Idea guys can be great, but they need a leash to keep them in line.

 

[Fox12]

I guess DJ Phil Fish was more expensive than they expected.

Seriously though, Double Fine doesn't seem to know how to manage their finances well- frankly, I'm surprised that they haven't gone bankrupt yet.

I'm legitimately curious, when were they ever in talks with Phil fish?

OT: have to meet that bottom line, eh Tim? I'm sure that there were mitigating circumstances for why the publisher dropped you, but at least a few of those mitigating circumstances probably related to your abhorrent mismanagement as a developer. Even as an indi-dev, Schaffer can't seem to keep it together. He's been banking on his fans goodwill, but all he's delivered so far are IOU's and broken promises. You're overdrawn, Schaffer.

 

[Redryhno]

I guess DJ Phil Fish was more expensive than they expected.

Seriously though, Double Fine doesn't seem to know how to manage their finances well- frankly, I'm surprised that they haven't gone bankrupt yet.

I'm legitimately curious, when were they ever in talks with Phil fish?

OT: have to meet that bottom line, eh Tim? I'm sure that there were mitigating circumstances for why the publisher dropped you, but at least a few of those mitigating circumstances probably related to your abhorrent mismanagement as a developer. Even as an indi-dev, Schaffer can't seem to keep it together. He's been banking on his fans goodwill, but all he's delivered so far are IOU's and broken promises. You're overdrawn, Schaffer.

Didn't you hear? Fish quit again and is now actually a DJ, he was at the party that appears to have fired 12 people.

 

[Elfgore]

It seems Double Fine has fallen onto some hard times of late. Shame, they're one of the few developers I actually enjoy. Hearing them lay off staff makes me think the chance for a sequel to Brutal Legends is getting farther and farther away.

 

[bjj hero]

Happy fucking Christmas. I feel for the staff they let go. I hope they can land on their feet.

 

[ElMinotoro]

I hope those staff members were paid for all the work they didn't do. Seeing as it is the business model for DoubleFine these days.

Tim Schaeffer, stop being a hack fraud, you are retroactively attacking my childhood

 

[ElMinotoro]

It seems Double Fine has fallen onto some hard times of late. Shame, they're one of the few developers I actually enjoy. Hearing them lay off staff makes me think the chance for a sequel to Brutal Legends is getting farther and farther away.

The chance of BL2 being made remain the same: zero

 

[Davroth]

Kind of disgusted that gamesindustry.biz saw fit to plug Massive Chalice steam early access in a news story about people loosing their job. Whatever happened to common decency.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-11-21-double-fine-loses-12-staff

 

[Adultratedhydra]

Speaking of Broken age, when it Part 2 coming out again? You kind of owe us some explanation of what's the hold up, Double fine.

Seriously, Tim, I love your games but you need to actually RELEASE GAMES for me to love. I really don't want Double Fine to become Baby Valve as far as actually releasing on time.

He needs to kickstart another 3.3 million for part 2. Then he'll need another 3.3 million after he blows the first lot on hookers again.

 

[Gennadios]

Kind of disgusted that gamesindustry.biz saw fit to plug Massive Chalice steam early access in a news story about people loosing their job. Whatever happened to common decency.

I don't think DF OR the games industry beesknees in general has any decency left.

On a side note, after seeing the let's plays of Massive Chalice, I doubt it'll save the company. For a squad level game it looks like it has design level issues that can't be overcome this late in development. It won't have the depth of XCom, and XCom wasn't particularly deep to being with.

I can't help but think that fans are just watching Tim Schafer John Romero himself at this point.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

it seems bobby kotick was right, Tim Shafer doesnt know how to handle a budget

 

[Haerthan]

Speaking of Broken age, when it Part 2 coming out again? You kind of owe us some explanation of what's the hold up, Double fine.

Seriously, Tim, I love your games but you need to actually RELEASE GAMES for me to love. I really don't want Double Fine to become Baby Valve as far as actually releasing on time.

He needs to kickstart another 3.3 million for part 2. Then he'll need another 3.3 million after he blows the first lot on hookers again.

What is wrong with hookers? I wish I had 3.3 mill to blow on them. I would make sure they are hot, single and free of disease.

 

[PMAvers]

Kind of disgusted that gamesindustry.biz saw fit to plug Massive Chalice steam early access in a news story about people loosing their job. Whatever happened to common decency.

I don't think DF OR the games industry beesknees in general has any decency left.

I'd say posts like these are vastly worse than anything they might or might not have done.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

it seems bobby kotick was right, Tim Shafer doesnt know how to handle a budget

Yup. Making your customers look at Bobby Kotick's words about you as correct is damning enough. Timmy Boy not being able to handle money might be the reason Notch said screw it to funding Psychonauts 2.

 

[Drejer43]

so when is he running out of good will? Seriusly i dont understand the gushing over Tim Schaeffer or double fine

 

[Quadocky]

I like how people keep spreading unsourced rumors of him and his business. No wait, I don't like it. Stop that please.