Video game Highguard axed weeks after release
It comes after the free-to-play game was given top billing at The Game Awards in December.
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Notable Quotes
"From all of us at Wildlight, thank you for playing, for supporting us, and for being part of Highguard's story."
— Wildlight Entertainment , Executive
"Today we're sharing difficult news. We have made the decision to permanently shut down Highguard on March 12."
— Wildlight , Executive
""Since launch, more than 2 million players stepped into Highguard’s world.""
— Wildlight Entertainment , Executive
"Sucks for the developers who get caught in the churn."
— Anthony , Other
"Thousands of people were playing it—its regular concurrents hung around 400 on Steam and at least double that on PS5."
— Chad Grenier , Executive
Key People
Anthony is an Irish entertainment and games journalist, now based in Glasgow.
Chad Grenier is the game director of Highguard.
Wildlight is the developer of the game Highguard.
Wildlight Entertainment is the developer of the video game Highguard.
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It comes after the free-to-play game was given top billing at The Game Awards in December.
Wildlight Entertainment announced that its hero shooter, Highguard, will permanently shut down on March 12, 2026, due to an unsustainable player base despite attracting over 2 million players since launch.
Developer Wildlight Entertainment announced the shutdown of Highguard on March 12, 2026, citing the inability to build a sustainable player base despite initial success and subsequent updates.
As Highguard approaches its shutdown, Wildlight Entertainment released a final update introducing new content, including a new character and progression systems, thanking the community for their support.
An opinion piece reflecting on the premature shutdown of Highguard, discussing the challenges faced by live-service games and the industry's tendency to discard titles without allowing them time to grow.
Wildlight Entertainment confirmed the shutdown of Highguard on March 12, 2026, citing the inability to maintain a sustainable player base despite initial success and subsequent layoffs.
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