Microsoft's Double Fine releases 'Kiln', a game where you create ceramic objects and fight with them

Microsoft-owned studio Double Fine has launched 'Kiln', a video game that simulates pottery making. Players control a spirit to create ceramic objects on a virtual potter's wheel, then animate them and use them in online team battles. The game was designed to evoke the tactile experience of working with clay, as project lead Derek Brand wanted to offer an accessible creative tool. Players choose from small, medium, or large clay masses, and the software categorizes the resulting shape into one of eight categories. The size and form determine the character's abilities, movement, and personality. Visual design lead Jared Mills noted the challenge of communicating character traits through player-created forms. The studio took pottery classes to understand the process but simplified the simulation to match people's fantasy of ceramics rather than full realism. 'Kiln' is available on Windows, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5, and is included with Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.