PRIVATE LIMITED

Double Fine has worked with Xbox since its founding, but Schafer has been open regarding his initial hesitation about the studio being acquired. He was eventually won over by promises of ‘limited integration’ – something it seems Microsoft has started offering almost as standard. “One of the things we’re really trying to do with some of the newer acquisitions is just completely leave them alone,” Ross says. “They’re better funded, they have all the infrastructure that they want, but really we leave them alone. Whereas some of what I would call the franchises – Minecraft, Gears,

Turn10 with Forza – we’re more involved in the day-to-day, going to meetings, looking at the portfolio, things like that. Whereas some of the newer studios we’re like, ‘Just go create stuff!’”