Double Fine to Release New Game ‘Thank You Bus Driver’ Following Independence from Xbox
- Double Fine’s upcoming game, ‘Thank You Bus Driver,’ launches on 14 October 2023.
- The game features chaotic bus driving and unique rule enforcement mechanics.
- Tim Schafer expressed positive sentiments towards Xbox’s Game Pass service.
Double Fine Productions has quickly transitioned into an independent game studio after separating from Xbox earlier this summer. The developer is set to release its newest title, a quirky driving simulation game named Thank You Bus Driver, in two weeks.
Launched just weeks ago, this game is characterized as a black-and-white chaotic bus driving experience, where players assume the role of a bus driver tasked with navigating through various challenges while keeping rule-breaking to a minimum and ensuring passenger satisfaction. The game will be available on multiple PC storefronts starting on 14 October 2023.
Thank You Bus Driver can be accessed via Steam, GOG, and Itch.io. The game challenges players to transport passengers to their destinations within a time limit and includes elements reminiscent of the game Papers, Please. Throughout the gameplay, players will need to enforce various regulations, including playfully slapping passengers with elongated arms, showcasing Double Fine’s trademark whimsy.
This game signifies Double Fine’s first release after achieving independence. In light of Xbox’s corporate restructuring, which has resulted in the spin-off of five first-party studios, including Double Fine, the company has also announced plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 3,200 jobs by the summer of 2024. Consequently, Double Fine laid off a quarter of its staff as part of these changes.
With the launch of Thank You Bus Driver, Double Fine is also introducing Double Fine Action Labs, a new label dedicated to swiftly developing “weird, little games.” Additionally, the studio’s upcoming Amnesia Fortnight Kickstarter campaign is expected to contribute further titles to this label.
Tim Schafer, founder of Double Fine and a prominent figure behind many of its successful titles, expressed that there are no hard feelings between Double Fine and Xbox. He praised the Game Pass subscription service, stating, “I love it as an idea… I’m very pro Game Pass, and hope it succeeds and goes forward.” Regarding the current fragility in the gaming industry, Schafer remarked, “People are playing games, people are making money, so I don’t know why there is a big loss of jobs. I assume someone is being greedy somewhere.”
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
