Wildlight Entertainment’s game, Highguard, is facing serious challenges. Player numbers have dropped significantly, and most of the staff have been let go. While not completely dead, the game is definitely struggling. Reports suggest the developers avoided public testing, preferring a surprise launch. Some believe leadership became overconfident after the success of Apex Legends, and the game’s funding situation is complicated – Tencent initially supported the project but reportedly stopped later. All of this adds up to a complex story about what went wrong with Highguard.
Alex Graner, a senior designer formerly at Wildlight, shared his perspective on the issues facing the game during the Quad Damage podcast (as transcribed by PCGamesN). He said his main worry stemmed from the decision to focus entirely on 3v3 gameplay – a move that prioritized experienced player-versus-player (PvP) enthusiasts. He noted that the game was also in a state of constant change, adding to the challenges.
As a level designer on the Wildlight team, I can tell you we were aiming really high with this new game – always trying to do something innovative. You never want a project to fail, and sometimes, despite your best efforts, it just doesn’t come together. During development, we focused a lot on making it competitive, which honestly worried me as a gamer. I always felt that focus might be a problem.
3v3 matches are consistently the most competitive and intense format, whether it’s battle royale, objective-based games, or modes like Wingman. It demands constant communication and strong teamwork, leaving little room for relaxed gameplay. I think that’s why many players stopped playing Highguard.
The game was overly complicated, especially when compared to Apex Legends, which was much easier to pick up after just one match. Launching at a time when battle royale games were still gaining popularity also worked in its favor.
Highguard has a complex system with lots of different phases and objectives. It feels like you’re constantly switching between looting, chasing goals, and completing tasks, especially during overtime. While these systems work well for experienced players, new players might find it overwhelming to learn everything at once.
Beyond everything else, the 3v3 format demands really precise movement and shooting, which already makes it challenging to pick up. If you or your teammates aren’t playing well, you’ll likely lose quickly, and it’s incredibly difficult to win fights when you’re outnumbered in our game.
Ultimately, the emphasis on teamwork actually led to the failure of Highguard. According to Graner, the game was built around cooperative play, but players lost interest because they couldn’t find enough teammates. “It’s all designed to be a team-based shooter. I think that was the biggest thing. People just kind of turned it off because they didn’t have the team,” Graner explained.
Wildlight is still updating the game with new features, including a mode that skips the mining section to make matches faster. However, the number of players has dropped dramatically – from almost 98,000 to just 541 in the last day – raising questions about the game’s future.
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2026-03-01 21:12