Today, Microsoft-owned developer Double Fine Productions unveiled the release date of Kiln, its next game after Keeper. As rumored two months ago by The Verge's Tom Warren, the game will launch next month, on April 23, to be precise. It will be available on Xbox Series S|X, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5, Steam, and via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for subscribers. The following editions are available:
| Edition | Price | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $19.99 | Base game |
| Fired Up | $29.99 | Base game + premium glazes, stickers, attachments, custom pots, and bonus Chips* |
*Chips are a cosmetic currency that can only be earned through gameplay, not purchased.
Just like all first-party Xbox games, it will be compatible with Xbox Play Anywhere and is also "Handheld Optimized". There will be a pre-release public test, though, with an Open Beta scheduled for April 9-11 via Steam; you can sign up on this page.
Kiln is the studio's first multiplayer game. At its core, it's a party brawler in which players begin matches as a spirit and sculpt their own body on a pottery wheel using an intuitive two-button system to pull and squeeze clay into shape. Vessels can be small, medium, or large, and the shape chosen directly determines stats and special abilities. Small pots tend to be used for fast-attacking DPS roles; large pots are slow but powerful tanks; and specific shapes are for tactical support (e.g., area-of-effect slows to set up teammates).
Available shapes include plates, cups, bowls, chalices, bottles, jugs, cylinders, and more, with 24 total special attacks each inspired by the real-world function of the shape. Examples include:
- Plate: Ricochets off multiple enemies like a hockey puck
- Cup: Area-of-effect popcorn attack
- Cylinder: Ground-slamming hammer
- Bottle: High speed with a dynamite ability usable offensively or to disengage
- Sword dash: Can be used to reposition and cut off enemies as much as to attack directly
Combat in Kiln is fully physics-driven. Characters chip, crack, and shatter based on the force and angle of impacts. Players build a vessel collection and bring their favourite three into any given battle.
The primary competitive mode is Quench: two teams of four race to gather water and carry it to douse the fire in the opposing team's kiln three times before the same is done to theirs. Winning is determined by quenching the enemy base, so the kill/death ratio is purely for bragging rights. Interestingly, the developer revealed that voice chat won't be available at launch, a deliberate design decision to keep matches friendly and avoid slurs and insults.
When the game launches on April 23, players will find three maps in Kiln, each with distinct layouts and gimmicks:
- Set's Basement Mosh Pit: Grungy rock club aesthetic with a single linear lane with a periodically descending mosh pit as the main water source; produces the shortest matches
- Athena's War Room: Wide open, with more ground to cover and sponges that can be watered to temporarily block lanes.
- Dionysus' Boogie Lounge: Disco-themed and also wide open, with a dance floor that compels players to dance on flashing squares for a short duration.
In between matches, players gather in the social hub "The Wedge", where they can practice combat in a dojo, decorate their vessels, and trade customisation items at a shop run by a dog named Slip.
Look forward to our Kiln review closer to launch.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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