High School Story and Hollywood U - The Final Sunset

After many wonderful years of highschool and hollywood quests, the time has come for us to say goodbye to High School Story and Hollywood U. Both games will officially sunset on August 10th and will no longer be available to download from the google play and apple app store. We've shared so many memories together these past 9 years and want to say a huge thank you to everyone who's been there since the start of our game. High School Story and Hollywood U has shaped so much of what Pixelberry is today, and that's something we'll never forget.

All in-app purchases in Google Play and the Apple Store will not be available for purchase starting on 7/20/22. We encourage you to use up all currency to enjoy HSS and HWU before 8/10/22 when the servers will officially shut down. This means that after 8/10/22 the games will not be playable, even if you have have it installed in your phone.

For a throwback on HSS Early days, check out our past post here: https://bit.ly/HSSsunset

Last but not the least, we want to give some of the original creators, and the team, space to share one final message to all you dedicated HSS and HWU players:

Oliver: I will always look back on High School Story with the fondest of memories. The High School Story team came together after we were laid off by EA. With egos battered, we nursed ourselves with indoor four square, brainstorms alongside ducklings, and chocolate tower hijinks. We had no idea that our struggles and your reactions would create a game that entertained millions, raised hundreds of thousands for non-profits, and literally saved the lives of players who needed help. High School Story taught me the power of games and players, gave me lifelong friends, and shaped Pixelberry into the community we have today. Thank you, Autumn, Julian, Mia, Nishan, Payton, and Wes for your friendship. We will always remember you.

Kara: Thank you so much to everyone who played HSS and HWU. These games were so incredibly fun to create, and some of my happiest memories are working with the team when we launched these products. Thank you to everyone who made it possible by playing and supporting us, and I'll always love all of these characters and their stories.

Andrew: Working on HSS and HWU was an absolute delight, and one of the happiest times in my professional career. It was so wonderful to work on something that was so meaningful to so many people, and an honor to be a part of something that our players remember so fondly. Thank you all for your support, for your fan art, and for all the kind words!

Megan: From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for playing. We wouldn't be where we are today--as a studio, as a team, as individual creators--without all of your support over the years. We hope these games have brought you a fraction as much joy as they have brought us. 💕

Luke: In HSS and HWU, we wanted to show how the world could be: open and welcoming, compassionate and understanding, honest and forgiving. I hope that these games helped you imagine a world like that too, and that everyone who played carries that vision into their real life in how they treat the people they meet. Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Jennifer: It makes me unfathomably sad to say goodbye to High School Story and Hollywood U because the world, the characters, and the stories will always be near and dear to my heart. It was an honor to contribute to these games, and I'm humbled by the enthusiastic support and love that the fans have given us these past few years. Thank you so much. 

Eric: Pixelberry would have died on the pixel-vine if it weren't for all of you -- our dedicated fans who loved these games so much! Thank you immensely for all of your support over all these wonderful years!

Owen: HSS and HWU will always have a special place in my heart. It was a joy to make them, but more than that, it meant so much to be able to bring a little joy to all of you! The support that fans have shown for us and our games is something that I will carry with me always. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Winston: Thank you to all of our players, past and present, for making Pixelberry possible.  Without your support we wouldn't have had the opportunity to make wonderful, rich and unique games with heart.  

Keith: Thanks to everyone at Pixelberry and to all of our players! The amount of passion I saw put into both creating and then experiencing the game, the stories, and the characters was unbelievable!

Steve: I've had the pleasure to help produce both of these amazing games and have always enjoyed seeing the fan and player responses to the different features and stories our team had created through the years. Thank you to all the players and Pixelberry folks who enjoyed playing and making these games, it was an amazing experience and an awesome ride!

Henry: Thank you to all our amazing fans who have supported us by playing HSS and HWU. It is extremely sad to sunset these two games, but I hope you all will enjoy our current and games to come. *Playing “First Day” on repeat*

Nicole, Naomi, and Trina: Thank you to everyone who asked for more quests and embraced the messages of compassion and resilience within them. When you leveled up, you helped Pixelberry level up too! As your Player Specialist team, it has been a pleasure sharing the smiles and assisting you on your adventures.

Chelsa: Working on HWU was my introduction to the games industry, and I couldn't have asked for a better start. I didn't work on HWU for long, but I'll remember the lessons I learned alongside those classic characters forever. Thanks so much to all the players who've enjoyed these games over the years! <3

Rachel: HWU and HSS literally changed my life -- I went from fan to writer because of them. I don't know where I would be if not for these fantastic stories. To everyone who played over the years, thank you so so much for your support!

Bob: Way back when, I joined Pixelberry to work on a new game called High School Story. It was daunting to create art from scratch, but I learned so much making buildings, foliage, characters, icons, and animations. Looking back, the most satisfaction for me was working with such a creative team and the positive response from our passionate players. Thank you for all your support!

Tom: Right after Bob was hired, I was asked to join the creative team at Pixelberry to help on High School Story. I had been out of the game industry for a couple years and was thrilled at the chance to get involved in this exciting new project! The art department was pretty small back then, so we all got to work on everything from buildings to outfits. I enjoyed working closely with such talented people, and having a lot of creative freedom! It was so much fun getting a task like "make a slacker hangout" and then just going to town on what that might look like. I think we were all pleasantly surprised by the huge success of High School Story and Hollywood U, and how much of an impact the games made in peoples' lives. I am so very grateful to our players for all the love and support you’ve sent our way over the years. Working on these games was a chapter in my life that I’ll never forget.

Kathleen: Working on these games as a young writer shaped my entire relationship with storytelling. Before, I saw my stories as pure self-expression. Now, they're opportunities to connect with people, to make them feel seen and to be seen in return. HSS and HWU were the first time I felt the power of putting your feelings out into the world and having someone else reply "I thought I was the only one". I'm forever grateful to all of you for coming along on this wild adventure with us.

To our players reading this, as you can see, you’ve been a huge part of Pixelberry history, and we can’t thank you enough. Here’s to more games with heart...

<3 The Pixelberry Team