Highguard Shut Down Less Than a Month After Release

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Highguard, the hero shooter developed by Wildlight Entertainment, is closing permanently on March 12, 2026 due to insufficient player numbers.
The game, which launched as a free-to-play title in late January 2026, initially attracted curious players but failed to maintain a sustainable player base relying on microtransactions.
Despite more than 2 million players having entered the world of Highguard since its launch, peak popularity recently reached just over 450 players—an unsustainable number for a free-to-play game.
Leading up to its release, Highguard faced a troubled launch with negative reactions during The Game Awards 2025 and overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam after its launch.

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Wildlight Entertainment officially announced the shutdown of Highguard next week, with servers permanently closing on March 12. The studio announced the decision on X. The hero shooter’s fate echoes that of Sony’s Concord, which failed after only two weeks in 2024. Highguard lasted twice as long, though this extension did little to change the outcome. Despite more than 2 million players having entered the world of Highguard since its launch on January 26, its peak popularity recently reached just over 450 players—an unsustainable number for a free-to-play game relying on microtransactions. The game is closing only 45 days after its debut. Many players voiced their disappointment, frustration, and confusion online; some criticized the negativity surrounding the game, while others blamed external factors.

In February, Wildlight Entertainment laid off employees due to Highguard’s poor performance. The studio stated, “You shared feedback, created content, and many believed in what we were building. For that, we are deeply grateful. Despite Our Team’s Passion and Hard Work, We Couldn’t Build a Sustainable Player Base to Support the Game Long-Term. Servers Will Remain Online Until March 12th. We Hope You’ll Join Us One More Time to Show Your Support and Enjoy Those Last Great Matches While We Still Can.” The team released a final update that includes a new Warden, a new weapon, account level progression, and skill trees. “We Will Add a New Guardian, New Weapon, Account Level Progression, and Skill Trees,” the studio announced. “Full Update Notes Will Be Released Soon and We Plan to Deploy It Tonight or Tomorrow Morning. Thank You All from Wildlight for Playing, Supporting, and Being Part of Highguard’s Story.”

Troubled Launch and Sudden Shutdown – Highguard’s Swift Demise in the Gaming World

Leading up to its release, Highguard remained unannounced until The Game Awards 2025. Wildlight originally planned a surprise launch (Shadow Drop) in late January, similar to Apex Legends. However, CEO Dusty Welch accepted Geoff Keighley’s offer to reveal the trailer during the show’s closing. The audience, anticipating a major single-player title, reacted negatively to the hero shooter, booing the reveal and drawing immediate comparisons to Concord’s failure. Despite the poor reception, Highguard launched as a free-to-play game in late January, initially attracting curious players who later left overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam. Last week, the studio dismissed the development team, maintaining minimal support, now without financial backing from Tencent, its primary partner. As a result, Highguard, developed by Wildlight Entertainment, will officially shut down on March 12, 2026, due to insufficient player numbers—marking yet another live-service game closure shortly after its debut.

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