Double Fine Says It Regained IP and Publishing Rights, but Steam Still Names Xbox

Double Fine says its separation from Xbox returned more than its independence. Studio head Tim Schafer says the developer regained both its intellectual property and the publishing rights for its games, addressing what the change means for Psychonauts, Keeper and the wider Double Fine catalogue.

However, storefront information has not caught up everywhere. The Steam pages for Psychonauts 2 and Keeper still identify Double Fine Productions as developer and Xbox Game Studios as publisher. That does not, by itself, contradict the transfer: Schafer said during a Kinda Funny Games Daily interview that updating the publisher information would take time.

What Double Fine says it regained from Xbox

Double Fine announced on July 6, 2026, that it had become independent again. In its official announcement, the studio thanked Xbox for reaching an outcome that “returns ownership of our games to us.”

Schafer later clarified the outcome in the Kinda Funny interview:

“Everything we got back, the transfer of the IP came back to us, and we got the publishing rights back for all our games.”

The comments establish Double Fine’s public position: the separation returned both ownership and publishing rights. The July announcement confirmed returned ownership, while Schafer’s subsequent interview added the publishing-rights detail.

Neither source publishes the underlying agreement or provides a title-by-title breakdown. It remains unclear whether Schafer’s reference to “all our games” has exceptions involving third-party licences, existing platform agreements, physical editions, regional arrangements or Game Pass distribution. His broad description should not be treated as a complete contract map for every historic Double Fine release.

Does buying Psychonauts 2 or Keeper support Double Fine?

Schafer’s direct answer was that purchases do support the studio. “When people buy our games it helps support the studio,” he said in the same interview.

That is the clearest available answer for players considering a purchase. It is not, however, evidence that every pound or dollar paid goes directly to Double Fine. The public comments do not disclose platform fees, taxes, revenue splits or any continuing contractual obligations, so claims that the studio receives all gross sales revenue would go beyond the evidence.

Why does Steam still list Xbox as publisher?

At the time the pages were checked, Steam continued to name Xbox Game Studios as publisher for both Psychonauts 2 and Keeper. Schafer’s explanation is that the publisher-name change takes time to process.

The listings are therefore best understood as unchanged storefront metadata during the transition, not proof that Xbox still owns the games or retains the publishing rights. Conversely, Schafer’s comments do not confirm when each listing will change or whether every platform, support contact and distribution arrangement will be updated in the same way.

What comes next for independent Double Fine?

Double Fine has announced one immediate post-Xbox initiative. Its Amnesia Fortnight 2026 Kickstarter is scheduled to launch on August 31, 2026. According to the studio, backers will select four ideas for prototypes, with one eventually polished into a small game under its new Double Fine Action Labs label.

That is a concrete plan for smaller games. It is not an announcement of Psychonauts 3, a remaster, a new port or a broader self-publishing strategy for major releases. Double Fine has not yet answered those questions.

Xbox announced its intention to acquire Double Fine in June 2019, and Double Fine’s independence announcement thanked the company for seven years together. Schafer’s interview now clarifies the rights outcome, even as visible storefront details remain in transition. For related context, read our coverage of Xbox’s wider 2026 studio reset.