Sackbird Studios’ chaotic co-op comedy goes third-person and PvE, with the new version playable for the first time at gamescom
Baltimore, MD – August 27, 2026. The Hijinks High announced in June isn’t quite the same game Sackbird Studios is bringing to gamescom.
Following its debut reveal earlier this summer, the independent, employee-owned studio has transformed Hijinks High into a third-person co-op PvE comedy for up to six players, where the school itself is the enemy, players can choose how they want to play, and every school day can unfold differently depending on who’s in the room.
For the first time, players will be able to get their hands on Hijinks High at gamescom 2026 (located in the Indie Area, Hall 10.2, Stand F044g – E061g), experiencing a full co-op school day where groups will tackle class periods and their objectives, deal with the game’s infamous toilet economy, where everything you eat and drink eventually has consequences and where it ends up can be worth points, attempt to avoid getting caught and dragged away, and face an end-of-class finale that changes depending on who’s in the room.
“The game has changed dramatically since we announced it,” said Adam Hafez, CEO of Sackbird Studios. “Moving to third-person completely changed what Hijinks High could be. You’re not just doing something ridiculous anymore, you’re watching your friends do it. Then we pushed the game towards PvE, and the school itself became the thing you’re fighting against. That’s where it really started to click.”
Watch the new Highjinks High gameplay trailer here
THE SCHOOL DOESN’T WANT YOU HERE
Each session plays out as a complete school day. Class periods give players absurd objectives while faculty NPCs enforce the rules. Get caught, and you’ll earn strikes, rack up naughtiness, or attract the attention of the janitor, who will happily drag you to detention.
The final bell brings no relief. Every player must make a run for the bus while the faculty gives chase, turning the end of every school day into an all-out extraction.
But who you play now matters just as much as what you do.
Players choose their playstyle before the day begins, with the first alternative being the wheelchair student. This is a genuine gameplay choice, with unique traversal, objectives and moments rather than simply a cosmetic option.
Sackbird Studios has built the school around that philosophy, too. One of the studio’s original The Elder Scrolls Online world builders designed the entire school to be ADA compliant, including an elevator network ensuring wheelchair players can reach every part of the school required during a session.
The approach has already produced some memorable results. During the studio’s first external playtest, testers independently came up with an idea for a physics-class finale involving sacrificing the wheelchair student before they had even been shown that such a possibility existed. It subsequently became one of the group’s favourite moments.
“That playtest told us we were onto something,” said Hafez. “They came up with exactly the kind of terrible idea we’d hoped players would come up with. Then, when the organised session ended, they went off to Discord and kept playing on their own. That’s the loop we’re building Hijinks High around.”
WHO SHOWS UP CHANGES EVERYTHING
The player roster is effectively the game’s replay button. Objectives and class finales can change depending on who’s in the session, while session modifiers can further warp the rules of the next school day, including one that can assign the wheelchair to an unsuspecting friend.
The game now also features persistent progression and leaderboards, with players’ records following them between sessions.
Outside school, players begin and end their days in The Cul-de-Sac, a social hub neighbourhood where every player already has their own house. Player housing customisation, seasonal leaderboards, larger social lobbies and additional playstyles are all in development.
Key Features
- Six-Player Co-op PvE: Team up with up to five friends and take on a school that absolutely does not want you there.
- Third-Person Chaos: See your character, your friends and every physics-driven disaster unfold around you.
- Choose How You Play: Different playstyles change traversal, objectives and how you experience the school day.
- The Wheelchair Student: A fully realized alternative playstyle with unique traversal and objectives.
- The School Is the Enemy: Faculty enforce the rules, the janitor hunts you down, and getting caught is part of the fun.
- Classroom Chaos: Objectives and finales can change depending on who is playing.
- Warp the Rules: Buy session modifiers and prepare for the unexpected.
- Escape Before the Bell: Survive the school day and make a desperate run for the bus.
- Persistent Progression: Your records follow you between sessions.
- The Cul-de-Sac: A social neighborhood where every player has their own house.
Hijinks High is currently in development for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as consoles. Wishlist Hijinks High on Steam and Epic Games Store and get ready to find out what happens when six friends are given a school, a set of objectives, and absolutely no intention of behaving.
For more information on Sackbird Studios, head to https://www.sackbirdstudios.com/
About Sackbird Studios
Founded in September 2025, Sackbird Studios is an independent, employee-owned game studio formed by veteran developers behind Elder Scrolls Online and the canceled Project Blackbird.
With internal funding and full creative control, the studio is focused on crafting bold, character-driven experiences without the usual compromises. Our mission is simple: to create unforgettable multiplayer experiences that surprise and thrill our players.
