In a stunning reversal of fortune, Highguard has confirmed its status as the new Concord, with servers set to close permanently on March 12, merely five weeks after its January 26 launch. This abrupt shutdown marks a devastating conclusion for developer Wildlight Entertainment, which had to lay off most of its team just weeks prior.
The Rise and Fall of a Promising Shooter
Wildlight Entertainment, founded in 2022 by former EA developers with impressive pedigrees from Titanfall and Apex Legends, initially operated in secrecy. Led by studio head and game director Chad Grenier, the team planned a stealth "play it now" reveal for January 2026. However, after showing an early prototype to The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley, the project gained unexpected prominence.
A Game Awards Spotlight That Backfired
Keighley was so enamoured with Highguard that he offered it the top spot at The Game Awards 2025, closing the show as the event's "one more thing." In an interview with IGN, Keighley proclaimed, "Highguard will be the most important shooter ever released and will shape the entire future of the games industry." This hype was bolstered by Wildlight's track record, reminiscent of Apex Legends' successful shadowdrop in 2019.
Yet, this high-profile reveal may have ultimately harmed the game. Wildlight CEO Dusty Welch later told PC Gamer that the trailer missed the mark, focusing on entertainment rather than showcasing the game's unique loop. Between the December 11 reveal and the January 26 launch, there was radio silence, with no marketing plan to build anticipation, allowing poor initial reception to fester.
Launch Challenges and Player Reception
Highguard entered an intensely competitive landscape for live-service shooters, facing not only giants like Fortnite and Call of Duty but also broader entertainment options like TikTok and Netflix. Upon launch, it quickly garnered "Overwhelmingly Negative" reviews on Steam, though many critics had less than an hour of playtime. Players who persisted noted more positive aspects but highlighted significant issues.
Gameplay and Technical Struggles
As a 3v3 raid shooter, matches often felt empty early on, with excessive time spent looting before meaningful combat. Wildlight later introduced a permanent 5v5 mode to address this, but it was too late for many who had already abandoned the game. Performance and server issues in the opening days further alienated PC gamers.
Despite attracting over 97,000 players on launch night, numbers plummeted rapidly, struggling to reach 1,000 concurrent Steam players within four weeks. Wildlight attempted to reassure players by announcing a full year of post-launch content and offering the first seasonal battle pass for free. Lead designer Mohammad Alavi even downplayed the importance of player counts, stating, "Honestly, we don't need [player counts] to be super huge in order to be successful."
The Financial Reality and Shutdown
Behind the scenes, Chinese technology giant Tencent had secretly funded Wildlight's project. Disappointed by Highguard's launch figures, Tencent withdrew funding, leading to mass layoffs on February 11. Only a skeleton crew of about 20 developers remained to maintain the game temporarily.
Final Announcements and Industry Implications
On March 3, Wildlight announced the permanent shutdown, with servers closing on March 12. A post acknowledged that over two million players had tried Highguard, expressing gratitude for their feedback and support. Grenier explained on X that there was "not enough revenue to keep anyone employed to work on it," highlighting the harsh realities of game development funding.
Highguard's failure adds to the growing list of unsuccessful live-service games, serving as a cautionary tale in an industry where new titles face immense pressure to perform immediately. While games like ARC Raiders have shown potential for breakthrough success, upcoming projects such as Marathon, Kiln, and Horizon Hunters Gathering must heed the warnings from Highguard and Concord about the challenges of launching in today's cut-throat market.
