Double Fine, which regained its independence from Xbox Game Studios in July, has announced its first project since the split: Thank You Bus Driver, a comedic take on the bus-driving simulator genre. In the game, players pick up and drop off passengers at various stops while making sure they follow a set of rules, such as no sleeping, no toenail clipping, and no being stinky. Breaking a rule prompts the player to slap the offending passenger.
The game adds tension by requiring players to reach each stop within a time limit while also watching passengers via a rearview mirror and turning around to slap rule-breakers, risking a crash into oncoming traffic. New rules can be added at random, keeping players on alert. Performing well earns more "thank yous," which extend the time available to reach the next stop, along with rewards like dashboard decorations and new town variants. Thank You Bus Driver does not yet have a release date and is currently slated for Windows PC via Steam.
The game is the first title released under Double Fine Action Labs, a new label the studio revealed in August. According to Polygon, the label is inspired by recent indie hits like Peak and is meant to focus on smaller-scale games that can be announced and released quickly. Polygon notes that Thank You Bus Driver fits that description and represents the kind of quirky, small-scale project the outlet says would be hard to imagine Xbox Game Studios publishing.
Alongside the announcement, Double Fine has had a busy stretch. Its Kickstarter for Amnesia Fortnight 2026: Indie Reboot, a documentary and game jam campaign with a Brutal Legend 2 stretch goal set at $100 million, has already surpassed its funding goal, with backers currently voting on which pitches will be developed during the jam. A port of the studio's game Keeper was also shadow-dropped on PS5 during a State of Play, marking Double Fine's first post-Xbox launch. Developers are additionally showing off Thank You Bus Driver and selling merchandise at PAX West this weekend.
Studio founder Tim Schafer discussed the Xbox split and the studio's future in an interview with Bloomberg. He said that after learning the studio might be shut down, he decided that no one would be able to end Double Fine except himself, stating, "No one puts Double Fine out of business except for me. [Xbox CEO] Asha's not going to shoot my dog. I'm going to shoot it. But I'm not going to shoot it because it's going to do great. A lot of people want to walk the dog." Polygon reports Schafer also affirmed that the studio will continue making unconventional games like Thank You Bus Driver and Keeper going forward.