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Highguard: Video Game Axed Weeks After Release
Wildlight will close Highguard servers 45 days after launch due to low player retention and loss of funding from Tencent, despite reaching 2 million players, the developer said.
- On March 3, Wildlight Entertainment announced it will permanently close Highguard and take servers offline on March 12, 2026, urging players to enjoy final matches.
- Unable to hit retention targets, Wildlight said, 'Despite the passion and hard work of our team, we have not been able to build a sustainable player base to support the game long term', while Bloomberg reported Tencent pulled funding, triggering layoffs that left a skeleton crew.
- Since launch, more than 2 million players tried Highguard, with Steam concurrency dropping from 97,000 to under 500 before closure, and the developer is releasing one final update featuring a new Warden, weapon, progression, and skill trees.
- Players have less than two weeks—around nine days in the final-play window—to enjoy Highguard before it goes offline, while Wildlight Entertainment thanked fans and urged them to "jump in with us one more time," amid mixed community reactions.
- First unveiled at The Game Awards 2025, Wildlight's Highguard joins recent live-service failures like Concord, illustrating the industry's ongoing challenges in the GAAS market.
Insights by Ground AI
62 Articles
62 Articles
Highguard Shutting Down Just Weeks After Launch — Servers to Go Dark March 12
The live-service shooter Highguard is shutting down weeks after launch, marking one of the fastest collapses in recent memory for a major multiplayer title. Developer Wildlight Entertainment confirmed the decision in a public statement posted on March 3, announcing that the game’s servers will permanently go offline on March 12. “Today we’re sharing difficult news. We have made the decision to permanently shut down Highguard on March 12,” the st…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources62
Leaning Left5Leaning Right2Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Left, 42% Center
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left, 42% of the sources are Center
42% Center
L 42%
C 42%
R 16%
Factuality
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