Kiln at IGN Fan Fest 2026!

We were very excited to participate in IGN's Fan Fest this year, and we decided it was a great opportunity to start introducing you to the maps you'll be battling on in Kiln. Our first map tour is of Athena's War Room, a beautiful but deadly space where two kilns stand in side-by-side rooms, waiting to be quenched by the enemy team. Your crew of ceramic warriors will have to throwdown, cross Athena's tactical 3D map, fill up your pot to the brim with water, and then return to the enemy's kiln room and douse away! But it's not as easy as it sounds, especially with a team of opposing pottery ready to brawl to the death (or, to the shatter, in Kiln's case). We've made a really cool flyover video that was featured in IGN's livestream, but if you missed the show, we've got a standalone video right here for you to watch. 

We hope it gets you fired up! Speaking of which...you've signed up for the Kiln Beta Testing Program, right? If not, we highly encourage you to do so, and soon.

An Unreal 5 Deep Dive for Keeper!

We also posted this really cool UE5 Deep Dive video for Keeper, which includes a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes development techniques and information about how the team used the engine, including (but not limited to) lighting techniques using the UE5 Lumen system, animating characters with control rigs, VR environment sculpting, and so, so many camera tracks. Project lead Lee Petty, animation lead Zach Baharov, senior environment artist Will Koehler, and designer Asif Siddiky are your friendly game dev guides, and if you've been itching to watch a 105-minute technical exploration of how Keeper was built, consider that itch scratched.

Once you're done, if you're really feeling ambitious, check out Snutt's reaction video below, which we deeply appreciated and enjoyed!

An Annie Award Adventure for the Keeper Crew!

Earlier this year, the Keeper team was honored with an Annie Award nomination for Best Character Animation in a Video Game. The awards show took place just last weekend (Feb 21), and our very own Lee Petty (project lead) came down to Los Angeles with Keeper animators Alex Turner and Zach Baharov to hit the red carpet and enjoy the show! 

While we didn't win—the honor went to our very talented friends at Compulsion Games for South of Midnight—it was still wonderful to know the members of ASIFA appreciated the Keeper team's dedication to bringing Twig and the Lighthouse to life. Plus, look at how lovely Lee, Alex, and Zach cleaned up on the red carpet! Dapper guys, one and all! It's like Tim told them: "...you didn't lose. When you dress well, you're always a winner."

We all agree with that sentiment! Give them a round of applause for their hard work. Yes, right there at your desk. Even if you're in an open office or totally alone in your house. Go full standing ovation. Make it weird.

(P.S. - If you find yourself nominated for an award and happen to be seeking a great post-show tiki bar in Los Angeles, we highly recommend The Lucky Tiki! It was a great hidden gem with a great atmosphere and delicious libations. We assume some of our subscribers are Oscar nominated.)

GDC 2026: Double Fine Speakers!

It's the last Friday in February, which always means one thing to the game dev community: GDC 2026 is upon us! From March 9-13, game developers from all over the globe will descend into San Francisco for a week of presentations, networking, and connecting with friends and colleagues alike, and this year, we have a handful of team members speaking on panels and giving presentations! We don't want you to miss them if you're attending, so we have this handy link with dates and times for you to check out the topics and team members you can see at the conference. 

An Exclusive Subscriber Secret: Play Kiln at Day of the Devs!

Lastly, we have a little secret to tell you! Are you alone? Double check that nobody is reading this email over your shoulder. All clear? Good! We'll whisper as calmly as we can...

We'll be showing off Kiln IN PERSON at Day of the Devs 2026!
That's right, in less than two weeks, you'll have a chance to play Kiln before just about anybody else. We'll be bringing our multiplayer pot smashing spectacular to Day of the Devs 2026: SF Edition, which is happening on March 8 at The Midway in San Francisco from 4-8pm.

 It's completely FREE to attend, and all ages are welcome; we only ask that you please RSVP here so the organizers can get an idea of how many folks to expect. If you're in town for GDC 2026, happen to be on vacation in the Bay Area, or just live nearby, it's going to be a great showcase full of indie devs, great games, and fun for all. We hope to see you there!