Classic Southeast Asian sport gets the gaming treatment with Sepak U

The Filipino gamedev scene’s intellectual property (IP) generation continues to flourish with yet another indie developer creating a game that reflects local culture. 

Good Knight Collective recently dropped the trailer for its latest game, which showcases the exciting and dynamic movements of the Southeast Asian sport sepak takraw. Sepak U - Sports Fighting Game applies the sport’s rules, which are similar to volleyball, but with the movement controls evocative of soccer’s gameplay. With the characters’ motions reminiscent of smash-like games and set in a fighting-game system, Sepak U promises a high-adrenaline gaming experience for players.

The game can be played by up to four players, with 21 characters to choose from and 21 arenas to compete in. Sepak U also comes with over 10 hours of solo and/or co-op content, mini-games, and epic boss fights. 

The general rule is simple: Just land the ball—touch it for an automatic hit or smash it for a stronger volley—to score a point. You can shape your attack angles into curves, sinkers, back shots, power smashes, spikes, and more using an easy-to-control system. In terms of fighter choices, the wide selection of characters includes a plucky chicken and a fearsome Asian mom.  

Matches can be done head-to-head, as team battles, or through handicapping, with the game lore and its 21 arenas inspired by Philippine culture. Players will also see traces of Southeast Asian influences, as well as East Asian, European, and South American touches, as they battle against a variety of characters ranging from killers and mischievous Filipino demons who just want to destroy the world to heroes and fighters eager to take on the strongest competitors. Aside from the actual combats that offer hours of gaming fun, the character presentations are also highly entertaining, their fighting styles highlighted through detailed cinematography, and dramatic and epic moments inspired by movies, sports, fighting games, and anime.

Sepak U also presents the first-ever rogue-like system for fighting games, where the player receives an upgrade in-between rounds. However, instead of the winner, it’s the loser who will receive a second wind upgrade. This makes it more challenging for winners and removes problems in comeback systems.

Good Knight Collective’s experience as a community and tournament organizer informs much of Sepak U’s tournament features, such as in-game webcam integration and fast tournament on-boarding. These are on top of standard competition features like online, replay, training, and more. The developer will also be releasing more content later on to further enhance player experience. 

Composed of Philippine-based indie artists and developers, Good Knight Collective was founded by Alex “AlexEValdez” Valdez and Zaid “Skeletal Raven” Al-Shaheed. Active in the country’s gamedev scene since 2025, the collective has previously released the game Good Knight and has also worked as outsourced talent for various gamedev companies. It is widely regarded in the local industry as an advocate for the country’s fighting game, esports, and gamedev communities.

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Be updated on Sepak U - Sports Fighting Game’s release by following Good Knight Collective on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Add the game to your Steam wishlist to get notified once it’s available for download.  

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