Psychonauts 3: Will We Ever Get A Sequel?

For "Psychonauts" fans, it's hard to believe that the long wait for "Psychonauts 2" is over. Even more difficult to believe, perhaps, is that the long-anticipated sequel is now more than a year old. Thanks to a tweet from the title's art director, we know that "Psychonauts 2" holds the title of developing studio Double Fine's best-selling game, and with all that success, fans could be wondering if there are plans on the table for a third adventure within the imaginative and wacky world of "Psychonauts."

Not only did "Psychonauts 2" apparently sell well, but it was received well by critics, saying that the creativity that the game has on display is mind-blowing. With so much critical and commercial success, it would seem that a "Psychonauts 3" is certainly on the way. Yes, it might seem like an obvious conclusion, but apparently Double Fine is shelving "Psychonauts" for now in favor of something new. 

In an interview with IGN, Double Fine's founder Tim Schafer talked about what could be next for the studio now that "Psychonauts 2" has been released. According to Schafer, the studio will now be focused on new experiences. "I think it leads me to want to do new, original stuff for the next phase. Coming up with new ideas is really where my head is at right now." While that may not be the news that "Psychonauts" enthusiasts would hope to hear, it still bodes well for said enthusiasts that Double Fine isn't slowing down when it comes to creating new games. 

In fact, an update that Double Fine delivered on the crowdfunding website Fig shows that Double Fine fans should have plenty to look forward to. After stating that development on "Psychonauts 2" had finished, the update says, "The studio is already splitting up into various teams and starting different projects that we think you'll enjoy. We like experimentation here at Double Fine. Every game is a chance to explore new ideas, new visual styles or gameplay, emotions, and more." While there may not be a "Psychonauts 3" in the cards, hearing that the studio is fortunate enough to continue working on new projects is great news for longtime fans. 

As Schafer has pointed out in various interviews, including one conducted by YouTube channel Xplay, at one point during the lengthy development of "Psychonauts 2" the game's boss fights were removed. It wasn't until Double Fine was purchased by Xbox and received more funding that the boss fights were once again reimplemented into the title. As fans would likely agree with Schafer, a "Psychonauts" game without its boss fights just wouldn't feel the same. With their new Xbox backing, only time will tell what new titles Double Fine has in store and whether or not fans will see a "Psychonauts 3." The one thing gamers can know for sure is that, whatever game it is, will be unique and undoubtedly fun.