Schafer: Poor Returns Keep Double Fine Games Away From PC

Double Fine’s Tim Schafer has said that, while the studio "cares" about PC gamers and continues to push for PC versions of its games, a lack of "financial rewards" keeps publishers away from the platform. Writing on the company's website, Schafer says: “As a developer we do not have final say in the SKU plan for our games. That is the decision of the person investing the money, i.e. the publisher,” said Schafer. “We have much of the technology in place to produce PC versions of all these games," he continues, "but there is still some more work required to make them shippable and that costs money. So far, our publishers have not elected to fund that work. Not because they hate PC gamers, but because they don’t see enough financial reward." Schafer goes on to say that the company is eager to put its money where its mouth is: “Double Fine does care about PC gamers, and we always push for a PC version, and will continue to do so in the future. If we ever get super stinking rich here, with enough money to fund PC versions of our games, then we will go back and make them ourselves! Oh man, wouldn’t that be cool?” However, PC gamers who repeatedly clamor for PC versions of Double Fine's games on social media sites won't be help cause. "Every time that happens it make my eye twitch and I take a dollar out of the 'PC Port Fund' jar," he jokes. The company's forthcoming downloadable title, Stacking, is scheduled for release for XBLA and PSN in Spring 2011.