Many of us might have expected the heavy hitters of today’s Developer Direct to be Fable and Forza Horizon 6. However, the other two titles we got to see were just as mind-blowing and unique. If you don’t know what we’re talking about, we’re referring to Beast of Reincarnation and Kiln, the former made by GameFreak, best known for the Pokémon games, and the latter made by Double Fine, the minds behind Psychonauts and Iron Brigade.
Beast of Reincarnation Launches in Summer and Kiln in Spring
Since we’re talking about two games here, we’ve linked the whole Developer Direct of today for those who missed it. Outside of Forza Horizon 6 and Fable, both being developed by Playground Games, GameFreak, and Double Fine Productions, also appeared in the showcase with two highly unique upcoming titles.
First, we have Beast of Reincarnation, a game that shows GameFreak can do more than just Pokémon games. This action-adventure RPG puts you in the role of Emma and her dog companion, Koo. This post-apocalyptic journey will have you fighting plant-like beings with different combat styles, such as stealth, parry-focused encounters, and even sending Emma’s furry companion to do the job.
What stands out from the recent showcase is the care the studio put into the visuals and the highly demanding combat, as it is something that moves away from the things we’ve seen GameFreak do recently. The footage also showed a bit of the RPG systems coming to the game, such as upgrades and different combat mechanics, all of which seem highly customizable already. While Beast of Reincarnation doesn’t have a release date, we know its launch window is sometime during the summer of 2026.
The next one, the surprise game we were all speculating about, is Kiln, made by none other than Double Fine Productions.
In the showcase, they talked about their development process, talking about how they conceive the idea and eventually bring it to life, and it seems their next unique title is Kiln, a, and I quote: Pottery creation party brawler. Here, players will be able to create their unique ceramic battle armor, as the game puts it, and then pit players against each other in a chaotic, fragile, and colorful brawler.
The studio already showcased several levels and game modes, yet the most exciting part is the creation aspect, as it seems players will be able to bring their pottery to life, and the design they create will affect their battle armor’s stats and functionality, which looks quite innovative in the genre.
Just like Beast of Reincarnation, Kiln doesn’t have a release date, but Double Fine announced a playtest is on the way, and we know the release window will be in the spring of 2026.
Overall, this was a nice double surprise, and one that really shows how the studios are breaking the mold in terms of games and genres. Frankly, we’re excited to try both, as they cater to vastly different playstyles. So, whether you like to break some pottery or do some slight fighting alongside a dog, this year will offer you both experiences.
