Tim Schafer
A video game visionary who swapped laser swords for talking skulls, building wildly imaginative worlds laced with heartfelt humor.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American video game designer·Birthday: July 26·Generation X
Biography
Tim Schafer didn't just write games; he built entire, bizarre cosmologies where the rules of comedy, noir, and heavy metal were the only laws that mattered. Cutting his teeth at LucasArts on classics like 'Monkey Island,' he quickly proved his voice was too distinct for a galaxy far, far away. His directorial debut, 'Full Throttle,' put players on a motorcycle in a world of biker gangs and corporate intrigue, establishing his signature blend of action and wit. Then came 'Grim Fandango,' a masterpiece of art deco and Aztec mythology set in the Land of the Dead, which redefined narrative ambition in gaming. After founding Double Fine Productions, he championed creative independence, delivering the psychically charged 'Psychonauts' and the crowd-funded adventure 'Broken Age.' Schafer's legacy is one of unwavering artistic identity, proving that games could be deeply funny, emotionally resonant, and wildly unconventional, all while building a studio that operates as a sanctuary for creative game development.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tim was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Designed and wrote the landmark adventure game 'Grim Fandango,' celebrated for its unique art style and narrative.
- Founded Double Fine Productions, an independent studio known for its creative and experimental game projects.
- Successfully funded 'Double Fine Adventure' (later 'Broken Age') via Kickstarter, revitalizing crowd-funding for video games.
- Created the cult classic 'Psychonauts,' a game about psychic summer camp that gained a massive following years after its release.
Did You Know?
He provided the voice of the villainous mechanic, Moyer, in his own game 'Full Throttle.'
Double Fine's office is located in a former mayonnaise factory in San Francisco.
He won a BAFTA for his contribution to the gaming industry in 2021.
“To make a game, you don't need a big studio and a giant team. You just need an idea and the will to make it happen.”
