Developer Double Fine is reviving one of its best-known traditions to guide its next steps, after resuming its autonomy from Microsoft and undergoing a restructuring of the Xbox division that resulted in several layoffs.

The studio, creator of titles such as Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, announced Amnesia Fortnight 2026 – Indie Reboot. This will be a two-week game development marathon, broadcast live on the internet and with the direct collaboration of supporters. The crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter will launch on August 31, 2026 and will run through much of September.

The proposal is for Double Fine to present several concepts for new games, and supporters of the Kickstarter campaign will have the opportunity to participate in the choice. During the marathon, the selected ideas will be transformed into four prototypes, and the community will then help define which one will be developed as a complete small game.

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In a statement, the studio explained: “We are going to do a marathon, live on the internet, in which our supporters will be able to choose which of our countless ideas will be transformed into four new prototypes and which of these four endings will become a real (small) game.”

History of the Amnesia Fortnight initiative in creating famous titles

The Amnesia Fortnight initiative is not new to Double Fine. It initially emerged as a method to relieve pressure on the team during the development of the game Brutal Legend.

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During that period, for two weeks, employees temporarily stepped away from the main project, were divided into small groups and dedicated themselves to creating experimental concepts. This practice was repeated several times over the years, and some of the prototypes developed in these sessions resulted in full games. Among them, Costume Quest and Stacking stand out, as well as Kiln, which was recently launched.

Now, with the studio independent again, Double Fine plans to transform this concept into a public event, allowing fans to follow the creative process and influence the final result of the projects.

Recovery of game copyrights marks a new phase for Double Fine

This initiative comes shortly after an important restructuring of the company. Following the split from Microsoft, CEO Tim Schafer confirmed that Double Fine has regained the intellectual property and publishing rights to its games.

Schafer reported that the transfer of rights has already been finalized, although some titles may still appear associated with Microsoft on digital platforms until the update process is completed. The executive also emphasized that sales of Double Fine games will now directly benefit the studio itself.

Despite the independence achieved, the new phase came at a cost. Shortly after the separation, Double Fine confirmed the dismissal of 23 employees, indicating that the studio begins this stage at a time of challenges.