Wildlight Entertainment to Shutter 'Highguard' Just 45 Days After Launch Following Massive Player Drop-off

Highguard will permanently shut down on March 12, 2026, just 45 days after launch. Discover why the Wildlight Entertainment shooter failed to keep its 97,000 players.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 4, 2026, 7:39 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Esports Insider

A Rapid Rise and Faster Fall

In one of the swiftest closures in recent live-service history, Wildlight Entertainment confirmed on March 4, 2026, that its hero shooter Highguard will go offline permanently on March 12. The announcement comes a mere 45 days after the game’s global launch on January 26. In an emotional social media post, the developer cited an inability to "build a sustainable player base" as the primary reason for the shutdown. The news marks a disappointing end for a project that initially carried significant momentum, having been developed by a pedigree team of former Apex Legends and Titanfall creators.

Analyzing the Player Exodus

The statistical decline of Highguard is stark. Data from SteamDB reveals that while the game enjoyed a massive "shadow drop" success with a peak of 97,000 concurrent players at launch, interest evaporated almost instantly. By February 18, the count had fallen to roughly 1,300, and by early March, it hit a 24-hour peak of just 460 concurrent players. While these figures do not account for console users, the trend reflects a broader rejection of the title by the competitive gaming community, which criticized the game's launch state through a wave of negative Steam reviews.

Internal Turmoil and Staff Layoffs

The shutdown follows weeks of internal instability at Wildlight Entertainment. Just 16 days after Highguard went live, reports emerged of significant staff reductions. The studio eventually confirmed it had laid off a large portion of its team, leaving only a "core group" to manage the live-service elements. This downsizing occurred despite alleged financial backing from Tencent, as reported by Game File. The rapid transition from a high-profile launch to a skeleton crew suggested that the studio’s leadership had identified the game’s lack of viability very early in its lifecycle.