One of First Confirmed Xbox Game Pass Games of 2026 Is a Huge One

One of the first confirmed Xbox Game Pass games of 2026 is a huge one. For one, the 2026 Xbox Game Pass game is going to be a day-one game, meaning available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers the moment it releases. That said, this offer is only going to be extended to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC subscribers. Those at the Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Standard tiers will need to hope it is added to these tiers at a later date.

The 2026 Xbox Game Pass game in question is High on Life 2, which is set to release on February 13, 2026. And when it releases, it will also be available on PS5 and PC. And this is different than the first game. When the first game was released, it was an Xbox Series X console exclusive, not coming to PS5 until a year later. The first game also came to Switch and Switch 2 this year, but there is no word of the sequel coming to either Nintendo console. What’s not different than the first game is that the moment High on Life 2 releases, it will be available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass PC. And while it will be on PS5 at launch, it will not be on PlayStation Plus, at least not at launch.

Read Next

Ubisoft Game Free With Xbox Game Pass Is a Hit With Subscribers

Predecessor One of the Biggest Game Pass

When High on Life was released on Xbox Game Pass back in 2022, it was the biggest Xbox Game Pass launch of the year. More than this, it is the biggest third-party launch on Xbox Game Pass in its history and the biggest single-player game on Xbox Game Pass ever. Whether the sequel will be able to repeat this remains to be seen, but it is nonetheless one of the biggest Xbox Game Pass games of 2026 as a consequence. You’d assume with achievements like this, High on Life was critically acclaimed, but it was not. This will certainly be one area the sequel will hope to improve on.

Play video

No More Justin Roiland

High on Life 2 simply looks like more High on Life, but it is worth noting that Justin Roiland — the creator of Rick and Morty — is no longer involved with Squanch Games, a studio he founded. To this end, it remains to be seen if this will have any tangible impact on the sequel. Whatever the case, the series is in a good place with not just a sequel coming in 2026, but an animated show in the works as well.

Can the Sequel Repeat the First Game’s Success?

Justin Roiland’s lack of involvement in the sequel is unlikely to make a difference with the sequel. Not only was he not heavily involved in the actual making of the game, but mimicking his comedic style is not very difficult, as Rick and Morty has demonstrated since he was dropped and replaced. That said, it’s unlikely High on Life 2 will experience the same type of success for a few reasons. For one, while the lack of Roiland probably doesn’t impact the quality of the sequel, it will impact its marketing. Two, High on Life very much felt like a lightning in a bottle moment, and it released in December, when nothing else was releasing. And this ties into the final point. Releasing in February, High on Life 2 will not only have more competition, but attention on Xbox Game Pass itself has become more competitive since 2022.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Will you be checking out High on Life 2 on Xbox Game Pass next year?