High on Life 2 launches February 13, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC with skateboarding as its defining feature, but Squanch Games nearly cut the mechanic entirely during development. In a developer diary premiered during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, Chief Creative Officer Mikey Spano admitted that despite loving the skateboard concept, he actively pushed to cut it because the team couldn’t crack the design. Lead artist Colby Wahl estimates the team went through probably 100 different variations of the skate mechanic before finding something that worked. Now Spano can’t imagine the game without it, as the skateboard has become central to pretty much everything players do in the comedy action-adventure FPS sequel. The mechanic replaces the sprint button entirely, transforming movement, combat, and level design into what effectively functions as enormous skate parks filled with grind rails, ramps, and enemies to kick your board into.
From Dumb Idea to Core Mechanic
Multiple senior developers at Squanch Games initially had reservations about blending skateboarding with first-person shooting, questioning whether the combination would work or feel gimmicky. The iterative process of testing 100+ variations demonstrates how much trial and error went into making skateboarding feel natural within High on Life’s established gameplay framework. The original game used Kenny’s grapple gun for traversal, ziplining players across environments to reach distant platforms or quickly reposition during combat. The skateboard takes that traversal foundation and makes it much faster, more fluid, and dynamic while players continue shooting with their expanded alien arsenal.
The breakthrough came when the team realized skateboarding couldn’t be a separate mode or optional feature but needed to integrate seamlessly with shooting, stabbing, and exploration. Players can grind rails to move faster through levels, slow to a halt and dropkick the board directly into enemy faces as a legitimate attack, and perform tricks that aren’t just for show but provide tactical advantages. Audio director Pete Maguire explained that making every movement sound beefier than life was crucial to selling the satisfaction of pushing, jumping, grinding, and tricking. Without proper audio feedback, skateboarding would feel floaty and disconnected rather than responsive and impactful.
How Skateboarding Actually Works
Clicking the left stick summons your funky-fresh skateboard instead of triggering a sprint animation, fundamentally changing how players navigate High on Life 2’s worlds. Every level is designed as a mini skate park with grind rails hidden along paths, crashed cars functioning as ramps, and vertical structures encouraging aerial maneuvers. Players can seamlessly transition between skating, shooting, and using Knifey’s grapple abilities without awkward mode switches or mechanical interruptions. The skateboard movement feels fast enough to make exploration exciting while maintaining the precision required for first-person shooter combat.
Combat integration goes beyond using the skateboard for mobility. Players can launch the board as a projectile weapon, smashing it into alien faces for satisfying melee damage. Momentum from grinding rails or launching off ramps can be channeled into devastating attacks that combine speed with firepower. The demo showcased at MurderCon, a neon-lit multi-tiered disco hall where bounty hunters compete to be the last standing, demonstrated how skateboarding enables chaotic three-dimensional combat across vertical spaces. Players can grind rails while shooting, launch off ramps to gain aerial advantages, and use the board itself as a blunt instrument when guns aren’t enough.
Level Design as Skate Parks
The decision to make skateboarding central transformed how Squanch Games approaches level design. Environments are no longer built solely around shooting galleries and platforming challenges but function as enormous skate parks where grind rails, ramps, and halfpipes serve both aesthetic and mechanical purposes. This design philosophy creates more dynamic exploration where finding the optimal path through a level involves skating skills as much as combat proficiency. Crashed vehicles become ramps, architectural structures feature grindable edges, and vertical spaces encourage tricks that would feel pointless in traditional FPS design.
This approach differentiates High on Life 2 from other comedy shooters by making movement itself a core part of the fun rather than just the means to reach the next gunfight. Players who master skateboarding mechanics can traverse levels significantly faster while maintaining offensive pressure, creating skill expression through movement that rewards practice. Whether this resonates with the High on Life audience or alienates players who just want to shoot talking guns at aliens depends on execution, but early previews suggest the integration feels natural rather than forced.
What Else Is New
Beyond skateboarding, High on Life 2 expands the alien gun roster with new Gatlians including a shotgun and bow-and-arrow, plus returning favorites like Knifey the sentient stabby dagger. The story follows an intergalactic conspiracy threatening humanity where Earth is being used as raw material for alien pharmaceuticals, continuing the first game’s dark comedy premise about humans as drugs. Players are now a renowned skateboarding bounty hunter rather than an unremarkable human, suggesting the sequel leans into power fantasy progression rather than starting from zero again.
Boss battles return with what appears to be more complex encounters taking advantage of the expanded movement options. New weapons feature distinct firing modes and trick hole abilities that solve puzzles and unlock areas in non-combat scenarios, maintaining the Metroidvania structure of the original where acquiring new guns gates progress. The game features more varied environments and a larger scale overall, with preview coverage describing it as bigger in every way compared to the 2022 original. Whether bigger automatically means better remains to be seen when the full game launches in February.
Day One Game Pass Release
High on Life 2 launches simultaneously on Game Pass for PC and Xbox Series X and S on February 13, 2026, continuing Microsoft’s strategy of using first-party and exclusive content to drive subscription value. The original High on Life became a Game Pass super-hit, with millions of players trying the game through subscription rather than purchasing it outright. This success likely secured funding for the sequel and explains why Microsoft continues investing in Squanch Games’ projects despite mixed critical reception of the original.
The Game Pass launch means High on Life 2 faces less pressure to sell individual copies at $70 retail, allowing Squanch to take creative risks like building the entire game around skateboarding mechanics that might alienate traditional shooter fans. Whether this freedom produces a better game or enables unfocused design depends on execution, but the skateboard integration suggests the team is committed to taking big swings rather than playing it safe with a carbon copy sequel. An animated series is also reportedly in development, indicating Squanch and Xbox see High on Life as a franchise with transmedia potential beyond just games.
FAQs
When does High on Life 2 release?
High on Life 2 launches February 13, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. It will be available day one on Xbox Game Pass for PC and console.
What is the skateboarding mechanic in High on Life 2?
Skateboarding replaces the sprint button, allowing players to grind rails, perform tricks, launch off ramps, and use the board as a weapon by kicking it into enemies. Every level is designed as a skate park with integrated traversal and combat mechanics.
Was skateboarding almost cut from High on Life 2?
Yes. Chief Creative Officer Mikey Spano actively pushed to cut skateboarding during development because the team couldn’t crack the design. After testing 100+ variations, they made it work and now the entire game is built around it.
What talking guns are in High on Life 2?
High on Life 2 features returning Gatlians like Knifey plus new alien weapons including a shotgun and bow-and-arrow. Players team up with a wide cast of talking alien guns featuring the same crude humor as the original.
Is High on Life 2 on Game Pass?
Yes. High on Life 2 launches day one on Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox Series X and S on February 13, 2026. The game is also available for purchase on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.
Do you have to play High on Life 1 first?
Not necessarily. While High on Life 2 continues the story, the sequel positions you as a renowned skateboarding bounty hunter rather than picking up immediately after the first game. New players can likely jump in without major confusion.
What is the story of High on Life 2?
An intergalactic conspiracy threatens humanity, with Earth being used as raw material for alien pharmaceuticals. Players team up with talking alien guns to shoot, stab, and skate through exotic locales to save humanity.
Conclusion
High on Life 2’s skateboarding mechanic represents exactly the kind of ambitious creative risk that publishers typically discourage because it might not appeal to focus groups. The fact that Squanch Games nearly cut it before iterating 100+ times until it worked demonstrates both the difficulty of innovative game design and the importance of perseverance when chasing ideas that feel right conceptually but require substantial effort to execute properly. Whether skateboarding FPS proves to be the next Titanfall 2 wall-running or a gimmick that wears thin after a few hours depends entirely on how well it integrates across the entire campaign. Early previews suggest Squanch nailed the integration, making skateboarding feel essential rather than tacked on. The February 13 release date positions High on Life 2 early in the year before the spring deluge of major releases, giving it breathing room to find an audience through Game Pass and word-of-mouth rather than competing directly with established franchises. For fans of the original’s crude humor and talking guns, the sequel promises more of what worked plus the coolest new thing Squanch has ever built.