Developer Layoffs Signal Crisis for Highguard as Player Count Plummets

Wildlight Entertainment confirmed on February 12 that it had laid off a significant portion of its development team for the free-to-play shooter Highguard, retaining only a core group to continue supporting the game. This announcement came amid a steep decline in player numbers, with active users dropping from nearly 100,000 at launch to just over 500 within three weeks.

The studio, which had been secretively backed by Chinese tech giant Tencent, faced mounting controversy after this financial relationship was revealed post-launch. Neither company had disclosed the partnership prior to the game's release, fueling speculation and criticism within the gaming community.

Former level designer Alex Graner publicly shared his termination on LinkedIn, highlighting the sudden nature of the layoffs and expressing disappointment over unfinished content he had helped develop. The rapid downsizing reflects broader challenges for Highguard, which has struggled with poor reception and dwindling engagement since its high-profile debut at The Game Awards.

Adding to the turmoil, the official Highguard website is currently offline, raising further questions about the game's future. Wildlight's decision to downsize its team underscores the difficulties faced by new entrants in the competitive multiplayer shooter market, especially when expectations are high and player retention falters.

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