Good Knight Collective just announced a kick volleyball fighting game

Philippine indie studio Good Knight Collective has announced Sepak U - Sports Fighting Game, a new hybrid title heading to PC and PlayStation 5. The game was officially revealed on April 1, 2026, and it attempts to merge the mechanics of a platform fighter with the Southeast Asian sport of Sepak Takraw.

If you are unfamiliar with Sepak Takraw, it is essentially kick volleyball. Players use their feet, knees, chest, and head to touch the ball, but never their hands. Sepak U takes that premise and turns it into a competitive multiplayer game for one to four players.

Smash movement meets traditional meters

The core gameplay loop revolves around keeping the ball in the air and smashing it into the opponent's side of the court. Good Knight Collective is pulling mechanics from a few different genres to make this work. The movement system takes heavy inspiration from platform fighters like Super Smash Bros. This allows for aerial acrobatics and fast-paced positioning across the arena.

Once you actually make contact with the ball, the game borrows control concepts from football titles so you can juggle the ball and set up shots. Layered on top of all this is a traditional fighting game meter system. Characters have specific special moves, ultimate attacks, and gauges to manage during a match. The roster is planned to include 21 different characters. Having distinct specials and ultimates means team composition in a two-on-two match will likely matter just as much as raw mechanical skill.

The developer is also trying something unusual with comeback mechanics. Sepak U includes a "Second Wind Upgrade System" that triggers between rounds. Whoever loses a round gets an automatic upgrade. The goal is to make losing a round feel less punishing while forcing the winning player to adapt to a newly buffed opponent.

I immediately wishlisted this

I think this game looks incredibly fun. The sports-brawler hybrid is a surprisingly underutilized genre, and anchoring it to a sport that already looks like an anime battle in real life is a brilliant move. I added it to my Steam wishlist the moment I saw the trailer.

The studio behind it gives me confidence that the fighting game mechanics will actually hold up. Good Knight Collective is deeply involved in the Philippine fighting game and esports communities. Their previous title, Good Knight, was a Philippine-mythology-infused arcade bullet hell game that required intense precision. It was brutally difficult but fair. If they bring that same level of mechanical polish to a multiplayer sports game, Sepak U could easily find a dedicated audience at local fighting game tournaments.

Playtests start early 2026

Good Knight Collective is targeting an early 2026 window for initial playtests. The game does not have a firm release date yet, though some early listings point toward a potential 2027 launch.

When it does launch, it will not be locked to a single platform. The PC version is already confirmed via Steam, and the studio is actively planning a PlayStation 5 release. A mobile version is also under consideration. That makes a lot of sense given the massive mobile esports market in Southeast Asia.