- The debut title of Baltimore-based Sackbird Studios, founded by the core development team of Elder Scrolls Online.
- Following the cancellation of MS’s ‘Project Blackbird’ reported by Bloomberg, over 30 members of the production team are directly participating in development.
- Cooperation, betrayal, and physics-based interactions create unpredictable school chaos… Up to 6-player co-op
A new indie studio was born in the aftermath of a major project cancellation that resulted in hundreds of developers losing their jobs. And their first work is not a heroic tale of saving the world, but a story about mischievous kids wreaking havoc on a school.
Sackbird Studios, an indie developer based in Baltimore, USA, officially announced its debut title , ‘Hijinks High,’ on June 4. The game is being developed as an online cooperative party game playable by up to six players and is scheduled to be released on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) and consoles.
Sackbird Studios is particularly noteworthy for being founded by the core development team of ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’ . It is a wholly employee-owned, self-funded indie studio established by about 30 developers who joined forces after the cancellation of ‘Project Blackbird’, a large-scale MMO project under Microsoft.
Immediately after its release, the game is attracting user attention as word of mouth spreads rapidly, primarily through Steam wishlists.
Friendly 3D cartoon style… The whole school becomes a playground
Hijinx High is a game where the goal is for the player to become a student and cause as much commotion and chaos as possible until the final bell rings.
The stage is a massive school consisting of classrooms, hallways, a cafeteria, a playground, and restrooms. Illustrated with colorful cartoon-style 3D graphics, the school is not merely a background but is closer to a huge playground where players can freely interact.
Every object reacts to the physics engine, and the characters’ exaggerated expressions and actions maximize the comedic atmosphere. However, there are also entities that hinder the player. School staff constantly chase students to stop their pranks, and by the time the final bell rings, chaos can unfold as the entire school chases the player.
Ultimately, the goal is simple: to survive safely and get on the school bus with friends.
Lockers, dodgeballs, jet packs, even bodily fluids… everything is a prank tool.
The biggest feature of Hijinx Hi is its free interaction, allowing you to utilize anything. You can pick up and throw lockers and dodgeballs, as well as special equipment like jetpacks. The developers explain, “You can use almost anything as long as it isn’t fixed to the floor.”
There is even a student-like(?) last resort prepared when you run out of things to throw. The game is designed so that even bodily fluids can be used as a prank tool, creating a unique comedy.
The system does not consist of fixed events, but rather occurs naturally through the combination of the physics engine and player actions. Even on the same map, completely different situations unfold every time, and the core fun of the game lies in creating unpredictable chaos and laughter.
Hunger and bladder management… A survival system that turns even your physical condition into a game
However, Highjinx High is not just a game for playing around. Players can maintain their stamina and gain various buffs by consuming a variety of foods and drinks, such as pizza, soda, and milk. But eating too much comes with a price.
You must manage your stomach, bladder, energy, and overall physical condition; overeating can lead to unexpected problems, such as nausea or your bladder reaching its limit. These survival elements add strategic judgment to a simple party game. Deciding when to eat, when to move, and when to run to the bathroom also becomes an important choice.
There is also a psychological battle oscillating between cooperation and betrayal. Although everyone is on the same team, there are times when one person might choose to distract the staff to buy time for the others to escape. These choices, shifting between cooperation and betrayal, create unpredictable situations and new storylines every time.
A New Beginning from the End of a Canceled Project : A Declaration of an Employee-Owned, Self-Funded Studio
The background of Sackbird Studios’ founding is also attracting attention from the industry. A significant number of the studio’s members came from ‘Project Blackbird,’ a large-scale MMO project being developed under Microsoft. As development of that project was halted in 2025, many developers had to find new paths.
Instead, they decided to invest directly in themselves. By adopting a wholly employee-owned structure and self-funded operations, they chose the path of developing the games they wanted to make without external interference.
Adam Hafez, CEO of Sackbird Studios, stated, “Hijinx High is a game that could only be realized because we are people who create games with pure passion,” adding, “This is just the beginning, and we aim to become a studio that grows in the long term.”
Attention from numerous gaming media and communities… Wishlists are also surging
Since its reveal, ‘Hijinx Hi’ has quickly garnered attention from international gaming media and communities. Numerous outlets, including Gematsu and Massively Overpowered, have highlighted the fact that it is the first independent project by developers from Project Blackbird, and it is reported that the Steam wishlist has also seen a steep increase immediately after the announcement.
Related trailers and social media posts are also seeing reactions such as “a pure comedy multiplayer game rarely seen these days” and “a next-generation party game great for playing with friends.” Although there is still time until the official release, it is already being discussed among indie multiplayer fans as one of the must-watch new titles.
The story of the developers, which could have ended with the cancellation of a major project, has now reached a new starting line.
Sackbird Studios’ first work, born from the loss of hundreds of jobs, is not a heroic tale of saving the world, but a delightful chaos set in a school.
Attention is focused on what kind of fun cooperation, betrayal, and physics-based unpredictable chaos will offer, and what kind of impact ‘Hi-Jinx High,’ presented by a veteran production team with extensive experience in AAA development, will make in the indie multiplayer market.
Information related to ‘Hijinks High’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer / Publisher | Sackbird Studios (Baltimore, MD / Established September 2025 / Employee-owned) |
| Genre | First-person multiplayer party game / Physics-based sandbox / Comedy |
| Release platform | PC (Steam / Epic Games Store) / Console (Undisclosed) |
| Scheduled for release | Undetermined (TBA) |
| Play Mode | Online multiplayer up to 6 players |
| Developer Background | The Elder Scrolls Online core development team / Established after the cancellation of Project Blackbird (reported by Bloomberg) |
| Release date | June 4, 2026 |
| Main systems | Physics-based object interaction / Food buffs & physical condition management / Team cooperation & betrayal mechanics |
| Main Keywords | School, Party Game, Physics, Prank, Multiplayer, Comedy, AAA Indie |
| Official Channel | Instagram·Facebook·X·Discord |
| Steam Page | Go to Wishlist |
