Double Fine's Kiln and Keeper highlight the studio's quirky approach

Double Fine previewed Kiln at Xbox's Developer Direct and released Keeper last year; both games are presented as examples of the studio's unusual, creativity-focused designs within Microsoft's umbrella.

Double Fine received a formal preview of Kiln during Xbox's Developer Direct. Kiln is presented as a party game built around pottery-making and competitive racing, and is reported as coming this spring. Last year the studio released Keeper, a quieter single-player game that drew attention and was included in GameSpot's top 10 of 2025. The studio's acquisition by Microsoft is described as having provided financial stability that allowed these projects to continue. Key details: - Kiln was shown in a lengthy preview at Xbox's Developer Direct and is reported as scheduled for release this spring. - Kiln's core mechanics center on crafting pottery with a pottery wheel editor, carrying water, and racing while defending and attacking opposing teams. - Keeper released last year and was noted for its meditative, single-player design and inclusion in GameSpot's 2025 top 10 list. - The documentary Psychodyssey and Double Fine's Amnesia Fortnight game jam are reported as tracing Kiln's origins and long development timeline. - Microsoft acquired Double Fine and is described as providing backing that has let the studio pursue smaller, personal projects within a larger publisher structure. - Industry context in the article frames games like Keeper and Kiln as possible Game Pass value-adds, and it notes uncertainty about the broader future of that service. Summary: The article frames Kiln and Keeper as recent examples of Double Fine's distinctive, creativity-driven output while under Microsoft ownership. Kiln is expected this spring, and the longer-term sustainability of similar projects under the larger publisher is undetermined at this time.