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Concord Today
By the People, for the People
Laid-off Highguard developer speaks out on game's failed launch
Former lead technical artist Josh Sobel says false assumptions and 'ragebait' doomed the game from the start.
Published on Feb. 12, 2026
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In the wake of layoffs at Wildlight Entertainment just over two weeks after the launch of Highguard, former lead technical artist Josh Sobel has shared his thoughts on the game's disastrous reveal at the 2025 Game Awards. Sobel says the game received positive internal feedback prior to launch, but the trailer was met with immediate backlash and "the hate started immediately" directed at both the game and Sobel personally. He believes the game was "turned into a joke from minute one" due to false assumptions and "ragebait" content from creators.
Why it matters
Highguard's failure highlights the challenges of launching a new live service game in a crowded market, where even positive internal feedback can be overshadowed by a poor public reception. Sobel's comments shed light on the personal toll that can take on developers, who face intense scrutiny and harassment from online critics.
The details
Sobel says the day of Highguard's reveal at the 2025 Game Awards was "amongst the most exciting" of his life, but the trailer was not well received. Critics panned the game's characters, and Sobel faced a barrage of personal attacks, with content creators mocking him and his autism diagnosis. Within minutes, the game was "decided" to be "dead on arrival," leading to over 14,000 review bombs from players with little playtime. Sobel believes the game never had a chance to succeed due to the negative reaction.
- Highguard launched in January 2026.
- Wildlight Entertainment announced layoffs just over two weeks after Highguard's launch.
The players
Josh Sobel
The former lead technical artist at Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind the failed game Highguard.
Wildlight Entertainment
The game studio that developed and launched Highguard, which experienced layoffs shortly after the game's release.
What they’re saying
“The day leading to The Game Awards 2025 was amongst the most exciting of my life. After 2.5 yrs of passionately working on Highguard, we were ready to reveal it to the world. The future seemed bright.”
— Josh Sobel, Former lead technical artist (X)
“But then the trailer came out, and it was all downhill from there.”
— Josh Sobel, Former lead technical artist (X)
“We were turned into a joke from minute one, largely due to false assumptions about a million-dollar ad placement, which even prominent journalists soon began to state as fact.”
— Josh Sobel, Former lead technical artist (X)
The takeaway
Highguard's failure serves as a cautionary tale for game developers, highlighting the importance of managing public expectations and the potential for online backlash to derail even a promising project. The personal toll on developers like Sobel underscores the need for more empathy and nuance in how the gaming community responds to high-profile game launches.
