Highguard Faces Uncertain Future After Layoffs

Developer Wildlight says the game will remain online despite 'most of the team' being let go just two weeks after launch.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The developer of the recently launched hero 'raid' shooter Highguard, Wildlight, has announced that 'a number of team members' have been laid off, raising questions about the game's long-term viability. Highguard had a strong launch, peaking at 97,000 concurrent Steam players, but player numbers dropped sharply in the following weeks. Wildlight says the game will continue operating with a 'core group of developers', but the path forward is unclear given the dramatic staffing cuts so soon after release.

Why it matters

Highguard's struggles echo the rapid demise of the game Concord, which shut down just two weeks after launch, becoming a cautionary tale in the industry. The ability of a drastically downsized team to maintain and improve a live-service game is highly uncertain, raising concerns about Highguard's long-term prospects.

The details

Wildlight announced the layoffs in a statement, saying they had to 'part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game.' The developer expressed pride in the game they created and gratitude to players, but acknowledged the 'incredibly difficult decision' to downsize the team.

  • Highguard launched on January 26, 2026.
  • The layoffs were announced on February 11, 2026, just over two weeks after the game's release.

The players

Highguard

A recently launched hero 'raid' shooter developed by Wildlight.

Wildlight

The developer of Highguard, which has now laid off 'a number of team members' while keeping a 'core group' to continue supporting the game.

Concord

A game that shut down just two weeks after launch, becoming a cautionary tale in the industry.

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What they’re saying

“Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game.”

— Wildlight (Forbes)

What’s next

It remains to be seen how Wildlight's downsized team will be able to maintain and improve Highguard as a live-service game, with player retention being a key challenge.

The takeaway

Highguard's struggles echo the rapid demise of Concord, raising concerns about the long-term viability of live-service games, especially when faced with dramatic staffing cuts so soon after launch. The developer's ability to keep the game alive with a drastically reduced team is highly uncertain.