Double Fine – the studio behind the likes of Psychonauts and last year’s wonderfully surreal lighthouse adventure Keeper – has announced a release date for its next quirky offering, known as Kiln.
Kiln is set to arrive next month, on 23rd April, across Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5 and Steam. It will also be available day one via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Kiln was first announced back in January of this year, and unlike the studio’s recent offerings, this time Double Fine is setting its sights on the multiplayer online party brawler genre, but with a pottery-themed twist. “Create your pot, grab your friends, and join a team of colourful spirits who face off against one another in online arenas, where the ceramic creations you sculpt on a pottery wheel become the bodies you bring into battle,” reads Kiln’s official blurb.
“The shape of your pots affect your attributes and your play-style. Will you be big, or small? Wide, or tall? Will you make a plate, a jug, a cup or a bowl? There are a multitude of different sizes and combinations to discover, each with unique abilities and attacks, along with new and surprising ways to play.”
Before Kiln’s release, there will be the chance to take part in playtests, with an open beta on Steam scheduled for between 9th and 11th April. If this sounds like your thing, you can sign up via Double Fine here. Or, if you are still unsure, you can check out a trailer for Kiln below.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Double Fine, and was especially enamored with Keeper, which I completed in one sitting last year. Our Matt was similarly smitten, calling it a “surprising, shapeshifting adventure of captivating wonder and beauty” in Eurogamer’s five star Keeper review.
