Highguard to Permanently Shut Down After Just 45 Days

Wildlight Entertainment has confirmed that its free-to-play hero shooter, Highguard, will permanently shut down on March 12, 2026, just 45 days after its launch on January 26, 2026. The decision comes after the studio acknowledged its inability to build a sustainable player base to support the game long-term. In a statement shared on social media, Wildlight expressed gratitude to the more than two million players who engaged with the game, stating, "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."

3 months after closing The Game Awards, Highguard is officially shutting down

Highguard was first revealed at The Game Awards 2025, where it was positioned as a significant title in the live-service shooter genre. Despite an initial surge of interest, with nearly 100,000 concurrent players at launch, the game's player base dwindled rapidly. Reports indicated that Tencent, which had provided funding for Wildlight, withdrew its support shortly after the launch due to unmet performance metrics, leading to significant layoffs within the development team.

Highguard servers to go offline on March 12, 2026

Before the shutdown, Wildlight plans to release one last update, which will introduce a new playable character (Warden), a new weapon, account level progression, and skill trees. This update aims to provide players with a final opportunity to engage with the game and experience its last features. Wildlight stated, "We hope you’ll jump in with us one more time to show your support and get those final great matches in while we still can."

Highguard scheduled to permanently shut down on March 12

The game's reception has been mixed, with many players expressing disappointment over various aspects, including the map size and game format. Highguard faced significant backlash, including over 14,000 negative reviews from users who played for less than an hour. Critics have pointed to a lack of effective marketing and the oversaturation of the live-service shooter market as contributing factors to its failure. Former developers have also suggested that the game's launch was marred by "hubris," with expectations set too high.

Highguard is Shutting Down Permanently Next Week, 45 Days After Launch

While Wildlight reported over two million players, the actual number of active players had reportedly fallen to just a few hundred in the weeks leading up to the shutdown. Additionally, the studio's decision to lay off most of its staff shortly after launch raised concerns about its ability to address player feedback and improve the game.

Highguard servers to go offline on March 12, 2026

As Highguard approaches its shutdown date, players are encouraged to participate in the final matches and experience the last update. The game's closure serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by new titles in the competitive landscape of live-service games, where sustaining player engagement is increasingly difficult.

Highguard will "permanently shut down" next week after "one final game update," dev confirms: "We have not been able to build a sustainable player base"

• "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." — Wildlight Entertainment

Highguard servers to go offline on March 12, 2026

• "We hope you’ll jump in with us one more time to show your support and get those final great matches in while we still can." — Wildlight Entertainment

IGN Entertainment

• "What a waste of so much time, talent, and money." — Anonymous player on social media

TechRadar

• "Highguard never even got that [a fair chance]." — Former developer commentary on the game's reception

Highguard is closing next week: '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'