Double Fine’s Kiln turns pottery into a playful multiplayer fight

Double Fine has shared more details about Kiln, its unusual multiplayer brawler where pottery is not just part of the art style, but also part of the gameplay. The game is built around 4v4 matches, player-made clay characters, and team battles where players try to move water and destroy the other team’s kiln.

Kiln’s biggest idea is letting players shape their own fighters without making battles feel unfair

Kiln stands out because it gives players control over the shape of their characters. Instead of choosing from fixed heroes or standard fighters, players can sculpt their own pottery-like creations. That sounds simple and fun, but it created a major design challenge for Double Fine.

In a normal fighting or action game, developers can carefully build every character’s size, shape, and hitbox. Kiln is different because players can make their own forms. One person might create a wide pot, while another might make a tall and thin one. If the game used every player-made shape exactly as it appeared, some designs could become too hard to hit, while others could become too easy to attack.

At first, Double Fine tried using the real shape of each player’s creation for collision. This made sense on paper because it matched what players saw on screen. But during development, the team found that this did not always feel good in actual matches. The system was more realistic, but it was not always clear or fun.

To fix this, the studio changed how collision works. Instead of reading every small curve and detail, the game uses the widest and tallest points of the pot to create a clearer hitbox. This keeps the game fair while still letting each creation feel different.

That balance seems to be one of Kiln’s most important ideas. Double Fine wants players to feel creative, but it also needs matches to be easy to understand. In a fast multiplayer game, players must quickly know where they can move, what they can hit, and how close danger really is.

Kiln also shows Double Fine’s usual love for strange and charming concepts. The studio has often made games that feel different from the rest of the market, and a pottery-based brawler fits that style well. It is not just another shooter or fantasy action game. It has its own personality.

The project also has a long history. Kiln began during Amnesia Fortnight 2017, Double Fine’s internal game jam event. At that time, it was still a rough idea and was barely working, according to the developers. Over the years, it grew into a full multiplayer release.

The game is launching for Xbox, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass. Double Fine has also shared a spring roadmap, which suggests that the studio plans to support the game after release.

Kiln may not be the loudest Xbox release of the year, but it could become a fun choice for players who want something different to play with friends. Its mix of sculpting, teamwork, and brawling gives it a fresh identity in a crowded multiplayer space.