Double Fine is following its 2025 critical success Keeper with Kiln, a multiplayer online pottery party brawler launching 23 April across Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5, and Steam. The game will also arrive day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
On the surface, Kiln sounds absurd. You start each match as a spirit and use a virtual pottery wheel to sculpt your own body into ceramic form. Will you make a small, nimble cup? A wide, sturdy bowl? The size and shape determine how much health you have, water capacity, and your speed. Smaller pots attack faster, while larger, slower pots are more powerful. The shape you opt for (bowl, bottle, chalice and so on) determines which special ability you have.
What makes this work is the core gameplay loop. In the main Quench mode, teams of four race to gather water and be the first to put out the other side's kiln three times. Your pottery creation isn't just flavour. The decision to go small and fast versus large and durable is a genuine strategic choice, not a cosmetic one.
Playtesting before launch
If you want to try Kiln before committing, an open beta runs on Steam from 9 to 11 April. Everyone will be able to give it a shot prior to purchasing. The game launches at $19.99, though a special Fired Up Edition costs $10 extra.
What's striking about Double Fine's approach here is the deliberate absence of voice chat. The developer confirmed that voice chat won't be available at launch, a deliberate design decision to keep matches friendly and avoid slurs and insults. For a competitive multiplayer game, that's a gamble. It only works if the game's design language is clear enough that players can communicate through play alone. Early feedback suggests it does; the interplay between abilities and different maps kept matches delightfully chaotic and unpredictable, which was amplified by uncoordinated groups of strangers dropping in for single matches.
The real test will come after launch, when servers go live and the community forms. Kiln is Double Fine's first multiplayer game, which means there's no established player base or established meta. The studio is using the open beta to see what resonates with players and what the Kiln team should prioritise next, with possibilities including more customisation, maps, and modes.
Kiln comes to all platforms 23 April. For those on Game Pass, it's free on day one.