Editing Double Fine (section)

== History ==
Double Fine was founded by former [[LucasArts]] developer [[Tim Schafer]], together with some colleagues from LucasArts, in July 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-07-23-double-fines-next-big-adventure-publishing |title=Double Fine's new adventure: Publishing |first=Matthew |last=Handrahan |date=July 23, 2014 |website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]]}}</ref> In the years prior, LucasArts had started to shift development away from [[adventure game]]s into more action-oriented ones as part of the general trend in the gaming industry. Schafer, who had just finished producing the adventure game ''[[Grim Fandango]]'', a title met with critical praise but was a commercial disappointment, saw others leaving LucasArts and was unsure of his own position there. He was approached by colleagues suggesting they launch their own studio to develop their own titles.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamestm.co.uk/interviews/10-years-of-psychonauts-in-conversation-with-tim-schafer/ | title = 10 years of Psychonauts – In conversation with Tim Schafer | work = [[GamesTM]] | date = June 2, 2015 | access-date = August 26, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150806004203/http://www.gamestm.co.uk/interviews/10-years-of-psychonauts-in-conversation-with-tim-schafer/ | archive-date = August 6, 2015 | url-status = live}}</ref> Schafer departed LucasArts in January 2000, co-founding Double Fine later that year.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tim-schafer-leaves-lucasarts/1100-2460348/ | title = Tim Schafer Leaves LucasArts | first = Michael | last = Mullen | date = January 7, 2000 | access-date = August 26, 2015 | publisher = [[GameSpot]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170406200955/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tim-schafer-leaves-lucasarts/1100-2460348/ | archive-date = April 6, 2017 | url-status = live}}</ref>

Schafer started Double Fine with programmers David Dixon and Jonathan Menzies in what was once a [[Clog|clog shop]] in [[San Francisco]]. After several months of working on the [[Demo (computer programming)|demo]] for what would become ''[[Psychonauts]]'', a mixture of personnel from the ''[[Grim Fandango]]'' development team and other new employees were slowly added to begin production.<ref>{{cite video | first1 = Tim | last1 = Schafer | first2 = Lee | last2 = Petty | first3 = Brad | last3 = Muir | first4 = Nathan | last4 = Martz | date = March 7, 2012 | title = Creative Panic: How Agility Turned Terror into Triumph | url = http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1015662/Creative-Panic-How-Agility-Turned | format = [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] | publisher = [[Game Developers Conference]] | location = Los Angeles, CA | access-date = May 29, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120602200242/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1015662/Creative-Panic-How-Agility-Turned | archive-date = June 2, 2012 | url-status = live}}</ref>

After the implementation of Amnesia Fortnights in 2011 as a means to find new titles to publish, the company is split into a number of teams with about 15 people each. Each team has the capabilities of fully developing a small game on its own, but for their larger titles, like ''Psychonauts 2'', the company temporarily merges two or more of these teams, and with the option of unmerging the teams once the project is finished.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-02-25-psychonauts-and-surviving-the-publisher-shuffle | title=  Psychonauts and surviving the publisher shuffle | first = Brendan | last= Sinclair | date = February 25, 2019 | access-date = February 25, 2019 | work = [[GamesIndustry.biz]] }}</ref>

The company remains situated in [[San Francisco]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/19/double-fine-opens-prototyping-process-to-the-public |date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |title=Double Fine Opens Prototyping Process to the Public |publisher=IGN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424034025/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/19/double-fine-opens-prototyping-process-to-the-public |archive-date=April 24, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The name "Double Fine" is a play on a sign on the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] that used to display "double fine zone" to warn motorists that fines on that stretch of road were double normal rates. Double Fine's logo and mascot is called the Two-Headed Baby, frequently abbreviated 2HB,<ref name="Double Fine 2012-06-18">{{cite web|url=http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/the_weekly_double_fine_action_sale_of_the_week_2hb_shirt/|title=The Weekly Double Fine Action Sale of the Week: 2HB SHIRT.|last1=Remo|first1=Chris|author-link1=Chris Remo|date=June 18, 2012|publisher=Double Fine Productions|access-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810002021/http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/the_weekly_double_fine_action_sale_of_the_week_2hb_shirt/|archive-date=August 10, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> an abbreviation also used for [[Moai (game development platform)|Moai]], an [[integrated development environment]].<ref name="Double Fine 2013-11-27">{{cite web|url=http://www.spacebasedf9.com/post/68286747146/hi-there-i-noticed-your-game-is-written-in-lua-my|title=Spacebase DF-9 : Blog|last1=Remo|first1=Chris|author-link1=Chris Remo|date=November 27, 2013|publisher=Double Fine Productions|access-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130025222/http://www.spacebasedf9.com/post/68286747146/hi-there-i-noticed-your-game-is-written-in-lua-my|archive-date=November 30, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Double Fine 2012-12-03">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/DoubleFine/status/275685962565177344|title=Twitter / DoubleFine: @doglobster Our own! It's called 2HB.|date=December 3, 2012|website=[[Twitter]]|publisher=Double Fine Productions|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref> The Double Fine website is also host to seven [[webcomic]]s, which are created by members of Double Fine's art team and are collectively referred to as the [[Double Fine Comics]].<ref>{{cite web |date=July 14, 2012 |title=More Double Fine Action Comics Trade Paperbacks |url=http://mixnmojo.com/news/More-Double-Fine-Action-Comics-Trade-Paperbacks |access-date=June 1, 2013 |publisher=[[The International House of Mojo]]}}</ref>

On June 9, 2019, during [[Microsoft]]'s [[press conference]] at [[E3 2019]], it was announced that Double Fine had been acquired by the company and was becoming part of [[Xbox Game Studios]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/06/09/microsoft-adds-double-fine-to-its-xbox-game-studios-stable/|title=Microsoft adds Double Fine to its Xbox Game Studios stable|date=2019-06-09|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-09|first=Mike|last=Minotti}}</ref> According to Schafer, through the acquisition, Double Fine will be able to retain its independent nature but will not have to struggle with finding publishers for its games, a problem it has had in its past.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/tim-schafer-explains-why-microsoft-now-owns-double-fine-productions/ | title = Tim Schafer explains why Microsoft now owns Double Fine Productions | first = Andy | last = Chalk | date = June 9, 2019 | access-date = June 9, 2019 | work = [[PC Gamer]] }}</ref> Schafer spoke to Microsoft's [[Xbox Game Pass]], a games subscription service for Microsoft Windows and Xbox users, as one favorable aspect of the acquisition. Schafer felt many of Double Fine's games, particularly ''Psychonauts'' and its sequel, do not have an aesthetic that people would necessarily pay the full price for, but the subscription approach of Game Pass lowers that barrier and will potentially get more people to try the game. Thus, Schafer felt that being acquired by Microsoft would allow the studio to continue to develop experimental games and allow these projects greater exposure.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/345004/QA_After_the_Microsoft_acquisition_whats_next_for_Double_Fine.php | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190621091639/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/345004/QA_After_the_Microsoft_acquisition_whats_next_for_Double_Fine.php | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 21, 2019 | title = Q&A: After the Microsoft acquisition, what's next for Double Fine? | first= Bryant | last = Francis | date = June 21, 2019  |access-date = June 21, 2019  |work = [[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> A month ahead of the release of ''Psychonauts 2'', in July 2021, Schafer stated he was happy with Microsoft's handling of Double Fine; he called the acquisition a "limited integration" with Double Fine retaining all control on the creative elements while leaving the financial issues up to Microsoft to manage, and left the studio able to focus their creative skills on finishing the game without feeling any budgetary crunch.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamespot.com/articles/psychonauts-2s-tim-schafer-reflects-on-life-under-microsoft/1100-6494106/ | title = Psychonauts 2's Tim Schafer Reflects On Life Under Microsoft | first = Darryn | last = Bonthuys | date = July 19, 2021 | accessdate = July 19, 2021 | work = [[GameSpot]] }}</ref> Double Fine and [[2 Player Productions]] released ''PsychOdyssey'', a 22 hour documentary on the making of ''Psychonauts 2'' in February 2023''.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dustin |first=Bailey |date=2023-02-22 |title=Game devs praise Psychonauts 2 documentary for showing how hard game development really is |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/game-devs-praise-psychonauts-2-documentary-for-showing-how-hard-game-development-really-is/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |language=en}}</ref>