Double Fine Productions Hosts Non-Profit Group Gameheads

During the last week of August, long-time Xbox education partner Gameheads was invited to visit the Double Fine Productions studio in San Francisco. Gameheads is a non-profit group that empowers low income youth and youth of color to succeed in the world of technology and games. Headquartered in the Bay Area, they also have programs in Atlanta and Hawaii - all three of those locations were represented in the visiting group of around 40 students, all between the ages of 16-18.

While at the Double Fine Productions studio, part of the Xbox Game Studios family, the students were given the chance to chat with Double Fine developers on the team, including studio head Tim Schafer, environment artist Will Koehler, senior designer Lauren Scott, principal designer Seth Marinello, senior animator Miyuki Richardson and QA game lead Ernest J Walker, among numerous others. 

Split into several groups, the students were shown early prototypes of in-progress games, and previously created games, in order to demonstrate the process and phases of development, and how projects look and feel as they come together. Included in this were prototypes of games created in 2 weeks as part of the studio's infamous Amnesia Fortnight game jams.

Double Fine Productions is guided by a principle of creativity, and strongly believes that to keep on creating the best games, this industry will require a constant supply fresh ideas from a variety of voices. By supporting groups like Gameheads, we are confident that those voices stand the best chances of being found, nurtured, and eventually being heard.