Wildlight Studios announced that it will permanently shut down Highguard on March 12. The studio stated via the game’s X account that servers will remain online until that date. The announcement follows a post-launch peak of over 97,000 concurrent players on Steam.
Highguard launched 46 days ago, providing a brief window for a live-service title intended for long-term operation. The shutdown follows a decline in player counts that reportedly led investor Tencent to pull funding, reducing the studio’s financial runway. Wildlight Studios laid off staff shortly after launch, though a smaller team continued to support the game.
— Highguard (@PlayHighguard) March 3, 2026
Wildlight Studios stated that more than two million players stepped into Highguard’s world since launch. The studio acknowledged player feedback and content creation but said it was unable to build a sustainable player base to support the game long term. The final update includes a new character, weapon, and skill trees, as well as a “5v5 raid mode.”
Bloomberg reported that Wildlight’s executives, comprised of former Respawn employees, thought they could replicate the shadowdrop success of Apex Legends. The studio shared little marketing information after Highguard’s debut at the Game Awards 2025. SteamDB data shows the game’s concurrent player count fell to around 300 following its initial peak.
Highguard was announced at the Game Awards 2025. The game combined competitive hero shooter mechanics with MOBA strategy elements. Wildlight Studios employed a smaller team to add content following initial post-launch layoffs.
