Double Fine's First Post-Xbox Game Is Thank You Bus Driver
Double Fine reveals Thank You Bus Driver, its first game since regaining independence, as founder Tim Schafer vows only he can shut the studio down.
Double Fine has unveiled Thank You Bus Driver, its first game since regaining independence from Xbox Game Studios in July. Studio founder Tim Schafer declared in a Bloomberg interview that no one will be able to shut the studio down except for him.
The game is a quirky transportation simulator. Players must chaotically pick up and drive passengers, paying attention to their actions and slapping them if they break a rule. According to Polygon, this is the type of project the newly independent Double Fine wants to make, one hard to imagine Xbox Game Studios publishing.
Thank You Bus Driver will be the first title released under the studio's new Double Fine Action Labs label. This label, announced in August, focuses on smaller-scale games that can be quickly announced and released, inspired by recent indie hits.
A Busy Week for the Studio
Beyond the new game reveal, it has been a significant week for Double Fine. The studio's Kickstarter campaign for Amnesia Fortnight 2026: Indie Reboot, a documentary and game jam, has already surpassed its funding goal. Backers are currently voting on which game pitches the team will work on during the jam, with one becoming an officially released title.
Some Double Fine developers are also showcasing Thank You Bus Driver and selling merchandise at PAX West this weekend. Earlier in the week, a port of Keeper was shadow-dropped onto PS5 during a State of Play, marking the studio's first post-Xbox launch.
Schafer's Bold Declaration
In his interview with Bloomberg, Tim Schafer made strong statements about the studio's future. He proclaimed he has no plans to shut Double Fine down and will never let anyone but himself control that decision.
He stated, "No one puts Double Fine out of business except for me. [Xbox CEO] Asha’s not going to shoot my dog."
What's Next for the Label?
This new era for Double Fine is already beginning. Thank You Bus Driver does not yet have a release date and is currently only slated to launch on Windows PC. The game represents the studio's declared intent to keep making the kind of weird, niche titles it is known for.
