Studio MDHR made a surprise appearance during Summer Game Fest 2026 with not one, but two major announcements for fans of the Cuphead franchise.
The developer confirmed that work has officially begun on a brand-new hand-animated Cuphead game. While details remain scarce, the studio says the project will take Cuphead and friends on an entirely new adventure. Development is still in its early stages, with more information expected to be revealed at a later date.
Studio MDHR co-founder Chad Moldenhauer shared the news through a special bulletin released during the event.
“Craftsmanship is at the heart of everything we do here at Studio MDHR,” said Moldenhauer. “When it came time to peel back the curtain and share a little bit about what we’ve been up to, we couldn’t imagine a more fun way to do so than with today’s Special Bulletin.”
He added that the presentation was created alongside Toronto-based teams Stop Motion Department and Continue Agency, offering a glimpse into the era that will inspire the studio’s next project, Mighty Cuphead Adventure.
That project turned out to be the second surprise announcement of the day. Studio MDHR revealed Mighty Cuphead Adventure, a new 8-bit action platformer developed by a small internal team working in secret.
Unlike many retro-inspired games, Mighty Cuphead Adventure has been built using technology from the era it celebrates. The game is programmed in Assembly Language and designed around the technical specifications of the Sega Master System, bringing an authentic 1980s gaming experience to life.
While the title will be available on modern consoles and PC, Studio MDHR confirmed that players seeking the most authentic experience will also be able to play the game on original Sega Master System hardware via a physical cartridge release. The studio has yet to announce a release date for either project, but promised to share additional details about Mighty Cuphead Adventure in the coming months.
For Cuphead fans, Summer Game Fest 2026 delivered an unexpected double helping of exciting news, with both a new hand-animated adventure and a retro throwback platformer now on the horizon.
