Double Fine Returns to Its Roots: Kickstarter Campaign Teases Impossible $100M Brütal Legend Sequel
Following its recent transition back to independent status, legendary game developer Double Fine is turning to its community for support. Having parted ways with Xbox—a move accompanied by a 25% reduction in its workforce—the studio behind Psychonauts and Costume Quest has launched a new Kickstarter campaign to fund a revival of its “Amnesia Fortnight” game jam tradition.
The crowdfunding effort aims to support the team while they seek funding for larger, long-term projects. As of now, the campaign has successfully secured over $275,000 of its $400,000 goal, with nearly a month of fundraising remaining.
Perhaps most eye-catching is the studio’s inclusion of a “stretch goal” that has captured the attention of long-time fans: the promise to develop a sequel to the cult-classic 2009 title Brütal Legend. However, there is a catch. Double Fine has attached this ambitious project to an “impossible-sounding” funding goal of $100 million.
A New Chapter for an Independent Studio
The pivot back to crowdfunding marks a significant shift for the developer. Previously, Double Fine had indicated that its development pipeline was focused on non-sequel projects. However, the landscape for the studio has changed dramatically since its departure from Microsoft. Notably, the studio regained the intellectual property and publishing rights for its entire back catalog during the transition, potentially clearing the path for the long-awaited Brütal Legend 2 should funding ever materialize.
In a statement on social media, the studio clarified that the Amnesia Fortnight initiative is intended to keep the team operational and energized following a “long, tough summer,” while they continue to pursue larger-scale development opportunities in the background.
Crowdsourced Creativity
The core of the current Kickstarter campaign revolves around more than 25 bizarre, experimental prototypes. By backing the project, fans earn the right to vote on which of these concepts should be fleshed out into actual, albeit smaller, playable titles. The proposed concepts range from the whimsical—such as Tonight We Feast, a co-op game about city-dwelling animals—to the high-concept, such as Architactics, a tactical city-builder where structures transform into giant robots.
Other notable pitches include:
- Astro Slam Intergalactic Pro Wrestling: A narrative-driven deck builder.
- Bard Crawl: A fantasy dungeon crawler that starts as a simple night out at the pub.
- Lesbian Sled Death: A high-speed, full-contact, jet-powered racing derby.
- Fermi’s Playground: A simulation that tasks players with tweaking the laws of nature to foster habitable worlds.
Whether or not this campaign reaches its most astronomical stretch goals, it serves as a testament to the enduring relationship between Double Fine and its community. For now, the focus remains on keeping the studio’s spirit of experimental game design alive in this new, independent era.
