Inside the High On Life 2 trailer that breaks every rule of game marketing

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Most game trailers focus on showing off gameplay or dramatic scenes. However, the trailer for High On Life 2 is different. Made by TopMob and Squanch Games, it’s a funny, live-action ad that pretends to be for a fictional drug called “Humanzapro” within the game’s world.

The ‘Humanzapro’ commercial isn’t a typical trailer; it’s designed to look like an ad from within the game itself. This clever approach lets ‘High On Life 2’ subtly introduce new companies, concepts, and overall themes without pulling players out of the experience, making it feel like a genuine discovery from the game’s universe.

Okay, so the new High On Life 2 trailer wasn’t just a bunch of gameplay footage. They really went for something different – it’s like a fake ad from the game’s universe! It’s done like those super serious pharmaceutical commercials you see on TV, and it’s hilarious. They didn’t want to just tell you about the game’s humor and how big it is, they wanted to show you, but in a way that felt like you were actually in the world. It’s clever, it’s satirical, and it really pulls you in without breaking the immersion. It’s a really unique way to show off what the game’s about.

The TopMob team, under the direction of Chandler Clarke, handled all aspects of creating a trailer for High On Life 2. The trailer initially portrays “Humanzapro” as a sophisticated medical breakthrough, but it quickly becomes apparent that the ‘cure’ is actually produced by aliens who use humans as a key component in its creation.

Commenting on the project, Chandler Clarke, Executive Producer of Branded Content at TopMob said: 

TopMob is incredibly proud of this project – it’s our most ambitious one yet. It demanded meticulous work from all our teams, but collaborating with Squanch Games was truly inspiring. They gave us a surprising amount of creative freedom, which you don’t often get with branded content, especially considering how distinct their own creative style is. It felt like a real partnership – they trusted our vision, and we were all on the same page creatively. Directing the commercials was a privilege. The collaboration was exceptional; we used our storyboards as a base, but had plenty of room to improvise and be inventive during filming and editing. Ultimately, this project was a perfect example of teamwork.

Working with the team at hsc.tv was essential to creating the trailer’s look and feel. Pier de Santis and Bryan Brosseau collaborated with TopMob throughout the entire process, combining traditional filmmaking skills with cutting-edge virtual production techniques.

Throughout the entire production process, Pier worked closely with the TopMob team to define the desired look and feel. He skillfully combined digital and traditional visual elements to enhance the workflow in Unreal Engine. This allowed them to cleverly include hidden references to High On Life 2 without compromising the realistic feel of a pharmaceutical ad.

Speaking about the project, Pier de Sanctis, post production at hsc.tv said:

This project was a great chance to blend real-world effects with digital ones, offering a fresh spin on the typical style of pharmaceutical commercials. By portraying ‘Humanzapro’ as a genuine medication, we were able to use the familiar language of those ads to subtly hint at the unsettling things happening beneath the surface.

Bryan Brousseau, Director of Photography at hsc.tv, explained how LED video walls are becoming crucial for creating the look pharmaceutical commercials need.

The LED walls and ceiling weren’t simply decorative; they actively manipulated the lighting. Reflections and contrast on the actors’ masks came from the surrounding environment, making them feel more connected to the scene. This helped maintain the realistic, yet satirical, feel of a pharmaceutical commercial.

The production also included Tyler Green, who created the detailed alien masks featured in the commercial. He used 3D models from Squanch Games as a starting point, and carefully designed the masks to allow for movement, be comfortable for the actors wearing them, and still maintain the clean, professional look expected in a pharmaceutical ad.

Commenting on his work, award-winning SFX makeup artist Tyler Green explained:

This commercial was easily the most technically impressive and collaborative project I’ve been a part of, and it was really thrilling to work on. Designing the alien heads was challenging – we had a lot of discussions about their appearance, texture, and movement. I ended up suggesting we use practical effects inspired by 1980s creature design, specifically using cables and animatronics to move the aliens’ mouths live on set.

The project truly came to life during post-production, thanks to Suplex FX. They seamlessly blended the physical effects and virtual elements to create a realistic and immersive world. The team delivered almost 50 visual effects shots, prioritizing enhancement over replacement. They maintained the genuine feel of the physical masks while using digital tools to subtly amplify the actors’ emotions and bring the characters to life.

Steve DiNozzi, Co-Founder and VFX Supervisor at Suplex, explained their approach to the visual effects: “We wanted to keep the realistic look of the prosthetics but make them feel truly alive. Instead of completely changing the masks—which were already fantastic—we enhanced them with subtle details like eye movements, micro-expressions, and mouth animation. This gave each character a sense of purpose and clear emotions, with a hint of menace. The overall effect was designed to be realistic, clinical, and deceptively ordinary, much like you’d see in pharmaceutical commercials. We worked closely throughout the entire production process, from pre-production to post, to ensure a consistent look and feel.”

This collaboration showcases how today’s trailers are increasingly blending filmmaking, advertising, and the creation of immersive worlds. The result is a launch trailer for High On Life 2 that doesn’t feel like a typical advertisement, but rather a natural part of the game’s universe.

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2026-04-15 14:50