Highguard Shutters Just 45 Days After Launch

Wildlight Entertainment's new multiplayer game failed to sustain enough players, drawing comparisons to the ill-fated Concord.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Wildlight Entertainment has announced the permanent shutdown of its new multiplayer game Highguard, just 45 days after the title's launch. The game's quick closure has drawn immediate comparisons to Sony's failed hero shooter Concord, which shut down just two weeks after its 2024 release. Highguard's troubled journey began with a controversial reveal at The Game Awards 2025, where the final surprise announcement was met with backlash from viewers expecting a bigger reveal. This initial negativity snowballed, leading to a muted launch in late January 2026 where the game struggled to retain players. Within weeks, Wildlight Entertainment underwent mass layoffs, and now the studio has confirmed Highguard will be taken offline on March 12, 2026.

Why it matters

The rapid downfall of Highguard highlights the challenges facing new game releases in the crowded 2026 market, where players have high expectations and little patience for titles that don't immediately captivate them. The game's failure also raises questions about the impact of high-profile reveals like The Game Awards, where negative fan reactions can set the narrative around a new release before players even get a chance to try it.

The details

Highguard's troubles began with its reveal at The Game Awards 2025, where host Geoff Keighley's lengthy hype for the 'one more surprise' announcement fell flat with viewers expecting a bigger reveal. This initial backlash quickly transformed into widespread mockery of the new multiplayer game on social media. Wildlight Entertainment then went silent for weeks, only to surprise players by announcing Highguard's launch in late January 2026. However, the game struggled to retain players, with complaints about the map design, lack of progression systems, and technical issues. Just two weeks after launch, Wildlight announced mass layoffs that affected the majority of Highguard's development team.

  • Highguard was revealed as the final surprise at The Game Awards 2025 on December 11, 2025.
  • Highguard officially launched on January 26, 2026.
  • On February 11, 2026, Wildlight Entertainment announced mass layoffs affecting most of Highguard's development team.
  • Wildlight Entertainment announced Highguard will permanently shut down on March 12, 2026.

The players

Wildlight Entertainment

The studio behind Highguard and the creators of Apex Legends.

Geoff Keighley

The host of The Game Awards, where Highguard was revealed.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

The rapid downfall of Highguard highlights the challenges facing new game releases in the crowded 2026 market, where players have high expectations and little patience for titles that don't immediately captivate them. The game's failure also raises questions about the impact of high-profile reveals like The Game Awards, where negative fan reactions can set the narrative around a new release before players even get a chance to try it.