Highguard shutdown is now scheduled for March 12, 2026, ending server access and making the online shooter unplayable. The title was unveiled as the final reveal at The Game Awards 2025 and launched January 26, 2026 under Wildlight Entertainment, a studio staffed by shooter veterans with credits including Titanfall and Apex Legends.
The game spiked to about 97,000 concurrent players on Steam soon after release, but by mid-February reports put Steam concurrency around 1,600 (not counting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X players). Separate reporting also described more than 2 million total players since launch, highlighting a gap between initial reach and sustained engagement.
Key closure details announced March 3, 2026:
- Permanent shutdown date: March 12, 2026
- Reason cited: inability to build a sustainable player base
- Final update planned with Warden, a new weapon, account-level progression, skill trees, balancing and a new progression system
Reports also alleged Tencent withdrew funding shortly after launch, followed by major layoffs that reduced the studio to a core team. What the Highguard shutdown means for Wildlight’s longer-term future remains unclear.
