In a recent interview with TechRadar, Squanch CEO Mike Fridley commented on High on Life 2 launching on multiple platforms, calling the PS5 release a “no-brainer,” despite the first game being an Xbox exclusive.
For anyone unfamiliar, High on Life is a satirical first-person shooter packed with fast-paced gameplay, quick quips, and deliberately edgy humor.
The first game launched exclusively on Xbox and Game Pass in 2022, before arriving on PS4 and PS5 the following year.
This time around, however, High on Life 2 has launched across multiple platforms from day one and has also reviewed quite well. That shift likely reflects Xbox’s broader strategy change, where platform exclusivity is no longer as central as it once was.
Even so, the sequel has still released on Game Pass, suggesting Xbox may have supported the project in order to secure its inclusion on the service. It also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning players can buy it once and play across console, cloud, and PC within the Xbox ecosystem.
Fridley weighs Game Pass exposure vs lost sales
Fridley was very frank throughout the interview. Transparency is always appreciated, and when asked about the potential loss of sales due to Game Pass, he admitted he wasn’t sure whether the exposure outweighed “the potential cannibalization of sales.”
That doesn’t mean he dismissed Game Pass. Quite the opposite.
He added that it would “help establish an IP so getting a bunch of people to play your game.” At this stage, Squanch is still thinking long term.
He also acknowledged the franchise is still in its building phase. According to Fridley, “the best way to do that is to give it away and get as many people with their hands on it as possible.”
However, while broad access matters, platform performance still tells its own story.
Fridley noted that:
Shockingly even after a delay on the Sony launch [on PS4 and PS5] – because of an exclusivity clause with the first game that Microsoft had – it's [PlayStation] still our lead platform
Mike Fridley Squanch Games CEO
That reality made a simultaneous PlayStation release a “no-brainer.”
He later added:
If you're a PlayStation player, you're going to buy it on PlayStation. You're not going to play it on Game Pass, and with the recent subscription increase on Game Pass, I'm sure they've probably seen subscriber numbers go down a bit; so those people have to play it somewhere.
Mike Fridley Squanch Games CEO
Now, it’s worth mentioning, as does TechRadar, that Fridley’s comments are not based on any concrete data, and a loss of subscriptions following the Game Pass price hike is unknown.
It seems Fridley appreciates the exposure Game Pass provides, but remains focused on overall game sales.
That said, data has shown that Xbox users do still buy games, even alongside subscription access. There have also been multiple reports from developers expressing satisfaction with their partnerships with Xbox and Game Pass.
So, while sales cannibalization is part of the conversation, it is far from a simple one-sided issue.
High on Life 2 was released on February 13, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and is planned to release on Nintendo Switch 2 in April 2026.
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