Report: Double Fine's union petition withdrawn amid miscommunication and culture clash

A Kotaku report says the union petition filed by Double Fine Productions employees in May 2026 was ultimately withdrawn, after the studio's loose organizational culture clashed with US federal union eligibility rules. Some employees reportedly cut off communication with coworkers, and tensions grew between union supporters and those who felt the studio did not need a union. Studio founder and CEO Tim Schafer told Kotaku he chose not to intervene in the discussions because of his role as CEO, and denied any link between the failed union drive and the 23 employees laid off in July 2026, eight of whom were union organizers.