Psychonauts Dev Double Fine Reveals New Multiplayer Party Game

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Double Fine Productions recently unveiled Kiln during the Xbox Developer Direct. This upcoming game is a unique online multiplayer experience where players engage in pottery-themed brawls. It’s a surprising new direction for both the Psychonauts creators and Xbox Game Studios.

Double Fine’s newest game, Keeper, is a unique and atmospheric platformer. It tells a story without any spoken dialogue and features an unlikely duo: a walking lighthouse and its pelican companion. Released on October 17th for Xbox Series X/S and PC, Keeper was followed just three months later by the announcement of Double Fine’s next project – a game that appears to be a departure from their previous work.

Kiln Is a Game About Making Pots, Then Making Them Punch Other, Clearly Inferior Pots

During the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct, Double Fine announced Kiln, a unique online multiplayer game where players battle using pottery they’ve created. This is a new direction for the Psychonauts developer, known for trying out different ideas. The game’s name comes from the type of oven used to dry pottery, and gameplay revolves around crafting pots, turning them into fighters, and then battling online in 4v4 matches.

The unique idea behind Kiln didn’t come about instantly, but it developed relatively quickly. It started at Amnesia Fortnight, a yearly event at Double Fine where developers quickly create and test different game ideas over two weeks. For the 2017 event, the studio chose concepts in a few ways: some were fan favorites, one was selected by Double Fine’s creative director Tim Schafer, and the development team—led by artist Derek Brand—chose one concept they were excited to explore. Kiln originated from that final, team-selected idea.

Kiln Prototype from 2017, Long Thought Abandoned Until Today

How Kiln’s Pot-Making Works

Creating pottery in the game is much simpler than in real life, but the developers at Double Fine felt it fit the game’s theme. According to designer Brand, it’s done with just a single button and a control stick – you point and press to form the clay. Despite its simplicity, players can still get creative, especially since they can choose from three clay sizes and eight different forms like bowls, cups, and bottles. Brand explains that you’re able to craft almost any shape you can imagine.

The pottery section is designed to appeal to players who aren’t immediately drawn to competitive multiplayer games. We want to gently introduce them to the fun of more action-oriented gameplay, eventually leading them to enjoy things like playfully ‘smashing’ things with the pots they’ve created.

Why Kiln’s Pot-Making Matters

Creating a pot isn’t just about how it looks – it’s a detailed way to customize your gameplay. Your choices while crafting will affect things like how tough your pot is, how fast it moves, and what special attacks it can perform. These attacks are based on the pot’s shape; for example, a large cylindrical pot becomes a powerful hammer, and a flat, disc-shaped pot can bounce attacks off enemies. This pot-making process, combined with 4v4 battles, creates a relaxed and unique multiplayer experience. According to the developers, the pottery aspect is designed to attract players who might not usually play multiplayer games, gradually leading them into the action. The goal is to get them thinking, ‘I want to use this pot to battle!’

Kiln Is Coming in Spring 2026

The game Kiln is planned to launch in spring 2026 on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. As a Microsoft-published game, it will be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on both PC and through the Ultimate tier on day one. Considering Double Fine’s previous game was announced and released within four months, we might see Kiln arrive in late April or early May, narrowing down the spring 2026 timeframe.

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2026-01-23 02:34