Key Takeaways
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- Sony is automatically refunding players who purchased Battle Pass or cosmetic items for the closed game Highguard, but its unclear if all purchasers will receive refunds.
- The closure of Wildlight Entertainment and its game Highguard mirrors the fate of another PlayStation-backed shooter, Concord.
- Highguard experienced a rapid decline in player retention, with the initial high of nearly 100,000 concurrent players on Steam.
- The closure and subsequent challenges faced by Wildlight Entertainment highlight the difficulties in the modern gaming landscape, with Game Director Chad Grenier stating that Highguard launched in an unfinished state due to a lack of funds.
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With the shutdown of Highguard still fresh in mind, refunds are already being issued to players who spent money in Wildlight Entertainment’s shooter. Despite being free-to-play, Highguard monetized the experience through cosmetic microtransactions and a premium Battle Pass. PlayStation 5 users who purchased Highguard’s Battle Pass or cosmetic items are now receiving automatic refunds from Sony. It remains unclear whether refunds will be issued to all purchasers, or only to those who bought in after Wildlight Entertainment announced layoffs shortly after the game’s launch. Bluesky users report that Sony is issuing these refunds automatically, even to players who did not request them. Players have taken to Reddit and X to confirm that these automatic refunds appear to be exclusive to PlayStation 5. The closure of Wildlight Entertainment and Highguard echoes the fate of Concord, another PlayStation-backed shooter that was shut down soon after release, followed by its studio’s closure. Highguard’s collapse was similarly rapid. Although it initially reached nearly 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, player retention quickly declined. Wildlight attempted to address player criticisms of the original 3v3 format’s gameplay by introducing 5v5 modes; however, the change was insufficient.
Sony Automatically Refunds Players for Unfinished Highguard Release
Shortly after launch, Wildlight Entertainment underwent significant layoffs. Now, the studio’s future appears uncertain: its official LinkedIn page has been deleted, its website is defunct, and founder and director Chad Grenier has updated his resume to reflect his departure from the company in March. Game Director Chad Grenier stated that Highguard launched in an unfinished state due to a lack of funds. Level designer Alex Graner also commented on production challenges. The sources of these comments are currently unspecified. As players receive automatic refunds from Sony, the brief lifespan of Highguard serves as a stark reminder of the challenges in the modern gaming landscape.
In Case You Missed It
Midway through our exploration of the gaming world’s latest twists and turns, we’re left with just hours until Highguard signs off for good. But before we bid farewell to Wildlight Entertainment’s hero shooter, let’s take a moment to digest some insightful articles published on Players for Life. First up, Jonathan Dubinski’s “Artist Apologizes for His Words in Highguard”, published March 12th, delves into the controversial downfall of producer Josh Sobel’s apology message and its impact on the game’s rapid decline, offering perspective beyond the blame game as we approach the shutdown Artist Apologizes for His Words in Highguard. Next, Dubinski’s latest piece from March 18th, “Obsession with Service Games Continues to Claim Victims”, takes an in-depth look at Wildlight Entertainment’s sudden disappearance following Highguard’s closure, exploring potential reasons behind this erasure and its implications for the future of service games Obsession with Service Games Continues to Claim Victims. But what led to Highguard’s untimely demise? Marcus Thompson’s piece from March 5th, “Highguard Director Reveals Game Launched Unfinished Due to Lack of Funds and Time”, sheds light on this growing trend in live-service games, with director Chad Grenier admitting that time and funds constraints led to launching the game unfinished Highguard Director Reveals Game Launched Unfinished Due to Lack of Funds and Time.
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