Tim Schafer on everything but Bobby Kotick

Has some strong words to say about the Queen.

Last week we caught up with Double Fine Productions' Tasha Harris, project lead on Costume Quest, and the legendary Tim Schafer, to chat about the appeal of lower budget games, Halloween, and the perils in dressing like a magician.

Q: So, I know you're probably fed up to the eyeballs of people asking you about Bobby Kotick all the time...

PR Rep: No! You can't -

Q: ... so my editor and I have decided on a different approach. Can you please say something derogatory about The Queen?!

[laughter]

Tim Schafer: The Queen has never done anything bad to me!

Q: Really?

TS: Yeah!

Q: Because she's got a very low opinion of you. She said some terrible stuff about Brütal Legend!

[laughter]

TS: The Queen doesn't like video games.

Q: She does! She was given a Wii.

PR Rep: Yes, by THQ!

Tasha Harris: Wow, nice!

TS: How did she like that?

PR Rep: We've seen her playing it.

Q: What was she playing?

PR Rep: Wii Sports? Maybe a bit of Wii Fit?

[laughter]

Q: Uh, anyway… I saw your keynote at Develop in Brighton, where you first announced DoubleFine's plans to release four games in quick succession. You also said Costume Quest feels like a bit of a change of scene...

TS: This our first game that's not been cancelled! That's another one of our firsts...

TH: There are still a few weeks!

TS: Yeah, there's still hope.

Q: What's the appeal for you in going down this route towards smaller games? You said in Brighton that you'd ultimately like to self-publish your work.

TS: In terms of the appeal of self-publishing, it's about control - about having control over your own creative final product. What I've found, in making these smaller games... THQ has been very supportive of us, doing whatever they want. They haven't tried to influence the creative direction. So we've actually got that freedom, but we don't have to risk our money - which we don't have any of! So it's the best of both worlds, so far.