Tim Schafer Says Someone Is Being Greedy as Games Industry Struggles to Recover

Double Fine president Tim Schafer has offered his perspective on the ongoing turmoil in the games industry, attributing sustained job losses to greed rather than economic necessity.

In an interview with BBC News, Schafer acknowledged that he does not fully understand game industry economics. He noted an unusual pattern in layoffs over the past four years. Historically, studios would cut staff, realize they needed people to make games, then rehire. "But it's been down for like four years, and I don't know why," Schafer said. "Because people are playing games and people are making money, so I don't know why there's a big loss of jobs. I just assume that it's just someone being greedy somewhere."

Despite his uncertainty, Schafer expressed hope that the industry will eventually recover. "I hope it is a cycle, and I hope it bounces back, but I think there's a lot of life, excitement, and creativity in the indie games industry now," he said.

The BBC interview also touched on Double Fine's recent split from Xbox. Schafer revealed that Double Fine learned about Microsoft's decision to shut down the studio through online rumors. "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," he explained. The studio is now operating independently, and Schafer emphasized that Double Fine's survival is worth fighting for.

Schafer was candid about the realities facing both established and independent developers. In indie games, there is no guarantee of job security. "What I've learned is that people in the game industry didn't just come here for the stability, or come here for the lifestyle; they came here because, in their head, there was no other choice, but they had to work in games. It's just what they decided to do and they love it."