Thank You Bus Driver: Double Fine Details First Post-Xbox Game

Double Fine Productions has announced Thank You Bus Driver, a comedy simulation game that marks the studio's first project since regaining its independence from Microsoft. "Take on the role of a town’s rules-driven (and reckless) bus driver," the game's Steam description reads, noting that player goals involve driving fast, slapping faster, and tossing rulebreakers onto the street to earn appreciation. According to Double Fine, getting to the next stop is "all that matters," even if it requires pulling up a map mid-turn or taking a shortcut through a cornfield. "Avoiding pedestrians, incoming traffic, or the fence directly in front of you is optional," the listing states.

The announcement follows Double Fine's departure from Xbox during a July restructuring announced by CEO Asha Sharma, which affected approximately 3,200 roles across Microsoft's gaming division. The studio was spun back out into independence while retaining its IP and back catalog—a restructuring that also saw We Happy Few developer Compulsion Games cut loose. To sustain itself through the transition, Double Fine laid off roughly a quarter of its 90-person team.

The details

• Platforms: PC
• Release date: "Coming soon"
• Availability: Pre-orders for Thank You Bus Driver are currently available on Steam and GOG.

For a team that just survived a multi-thousand-person corporate reorganization, dodging oncoming traffic in a digital cornfield might actually feel like a quiet day at the office.