High on Life was a massive, weird gamble. When it dropped on Game Pass in late 2022, it shattered records, becoming the biggest third-party launch in the service's history. It was loud, vulgar, and incredibly divisive. But now, everyone is asking about the future High Off Life fans can actually expect. The landscape has shifted. Squanch Games isn’t the same studio it was two years ago, and the industry itself is grappling with the fallout of its creator's public exit.
Honestly, the game succeeded because it felt like a playable episode of Rick and Morty. You had talking guns (Gatlian) screaming in your ear while you navigated a neon-soaked alien world. It was a specific vibe. But that vibe was tied heavily to Justin Roiland’s voice and creative direction. After the domestic violence charges (which were later dismissed for insufficient evidence) and the subsequent reports of a toxic work environment, Roiland was ousted. This leaves the future High Off Life direction in a precarious, albeit interesting, spot. Squanch Games has to prove they are more than just a "Roiland studio."
The DLC was the first real test
If you want to see where the future High Off Life is headed, you have to look at the High on Knife DLC. It was a pivot. A smart one. Instead of leaning solely on the manic energy of Kenny (voiced by Roiland), they shifted the spotlight to Knifey and new characters like Harper, voiced by Sarah Sherman of SNL fame. It was spookier. It was grosser. It felt like the team was trying to find a new identity that didn't rely on the "stammering improvised comedy" trope that defined the base game.
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The DLC proved that the world—the "High on Life-verse"—is big enough to survive a lead actor change. Most players actually found the horror elements in High on Knife to be a refreshing break from the constant chatter of the main game. This suggests that a sequel or a major expansion won't just be more of the same. It’ll likely be more experimental.
Technical shifts and the Squanch Games culture
Squanch Games had to do some serious soul-searching. When Roiland left, it wasn't just about losing a voice actor; it was about losing the face of the company. However, the developers behind the scenes—the people actually coding the jetpacks and designing the boss fights—are still there. They’ve been hiring. They’ve been quiet.
The future High Off Life will likely involve a move to Unreal Engine 5. The first game used Unreal Engine 4, and while it looked great, it suffered from some pretty janky optimization at launch. Moving forward, the expectation is high-fidelity "living" environments. We’re talking about more reactive NPCs and even weirder gun mechanics. The "talking gun" gimmick is the franchise's soul. If they lose that, they lose the brand. So, expect new Gatlians with wildly different personalities. Think less "nervous teen" and more "jaded office worker" or "unhinged yoga instructor."
What about the legal and corporate side?
Money talks. High on Life was a cash cow for Microsoft’s subscription model. Because of that, a future High Off Life installment is almost guaranteed, whether it’s a full-blown sequel or a massive standalone expansion. There were rumors floating around the 2024 and 2025 trade shows about a potential acquisition, though nothing materialized. Squanch remains independent for now, but they are clearly positioned as a "second-party" darling for Xbox.
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There is also the matter of the IP rights. Roiland co-founded the studio, but legal filings suggest the company has the autonomy to move forward with the franchise without his involvement. This is similar to how Rick and Morty continued on Adult Swim with new voice talent. The transition was seamless for some, jarring for others, but the brand stayed alive.
The "Comedy Shooter" problem
Comedy in games is notoriously hard. What’s funny in 2022 might be cringey by 2026. The future High Off Life needs to evolve its humor. The "meta" commentary about video games—like the infamous "Wait for the NPC to finish talking" jokes—has been done to death.
To stay relevant, the writers need to look at what worked in games like Psychonauts 2 or even the Borderlands series (back when it was at its peak). It’s about character-driven humor, not just shock value. The next entry needs to have a bit more heart. Or at least more creative ways to insult the player.
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Predicting the next steps for the franchise
So, what does the actual roadmap look like? Based on industry patterns and Squanch's current trajectory:
- A Sequel Announcement: We are overdue for a teaser. Don't be surprised if a cinematic trailer drops during a summer showcase, focusing entirely on a brand-new cast of guns.
- Voice Transitions: They will likely lean into "legacy" Gatlians having their voices changed due to "in-game malfunctions" or simply introducing a new protagonist who uses a different set of weapons entirely.
- Genre Blending: The future High Off Life might not just be a linear shooter. The success of the open-hub areas in the first game suggests they might go for a more "Metroidvania" style with deeper exploration.
Actionable steps for fans and players
If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve on the future High Off Life, stop waiting for a Twitter announcement from the old guard. Watch the studio's LinkedIn activity. When Squanch starts hiring senior combat designers and narrative leads with experience in branching dialogue, that’s your signal that production has ramped up.
Go back and play the High on Knife DLC. It is the literal blueprint for the franchise's survival post-Roiland. It shows a studio finding its feet and realizing it can be funny, scary, and mechanically sound without its original figurehead.
Keep your eyes on Game Pass updates. The first game's permanence on the platform is a huge indicator of Microsoft’s faith in the IP. If it leaves the service, that might actually be a bad sign for a sequel. But as long as it’s there, being played by millions, the future High Off Life remains bright, weird, and hopefully just as gross as before.