The ultimate World Premiere at the Game Awards last night wasn’t the long-awaited return of a beloved franchise or a serious studio’s subsequent venture; it was a brand new shooter referred to as Highguard from Wildlight Leisure. The sci-fi/fantasy raid shooter is led by people who labored at Respawn on Titanfall and Apex Legends, so there’s some expertise behind it. Nevertheless, the response has been considerably polarizing, and for causes that aren’t actually even Highguard’s fault.
In a vacuum, Highguard appears fairly stable. It has Titanfall’s signature motion talents, high-octane motion, and a mixture of fantasy and modern-day aesthetics that result in enjoyable moments like utilizing a rifle on horseback after which casting elemental spells and scorching enemies alive. It’s obtained loads happening, but it surely additionally shoulders the burden of wanting type of generic. Even its identify is remarkably vague. For those who confirmed me footage of Highguard and advised me it was an advert for cell slop, I might in all probability consider it.
Wildlight has apparently been growing Highguard in secret for years, which is why this announcement comes simply weeks earlier than it’s set to launch on January 26. Within the time since its growth started, the hero shooter/live-service market has change into fraught, to say the least. Individuals have a tougher time getting excited for a recreation that threatens to occupy hours of their lives or one that might go the way in which of Concord and get shut down virtually instantly. Plus, the hero shooter style feels fairly nicely worn at this level, and it’s unattainable to make a brand new one with out getting in comparison with standouts like Overwatch. Although admittedly, Highguard’s similarities are nowhere close to as on the nostril as these in one thing like Marvel Rivals.
“I’ve waited my whole life to let you know about this F2P generic Hero Shooter made in secrecy by a number of devs that use to work at that iconic recreation studio you utilize to love. It is the respect of a life time! This can blow your thoughts, the facility of gaming! This is Magic Sherbang!” pic.twitter.com/GH9PP28gk7
— Michael (@LegacyKillaHD) December 12, 2025
“-and for our final world premiere, straight Shit from an Ass!” pic.twitter.com/N38ihOmZW0
— aaron🌌💭 (@musclesap) December 12, 2025
oh i get it, it’s “high” like “over” and “guard” like “watch”
— skittybitty (@skittybitty_yt) December 12, 2025
remaining reveal of the present is a “servers shut down in 6 months” fps pic.twitter.com/pTkGsRuro9
— balta 🦕 (@BGarcN2) December 12, 2025
please do us a favor and file for chapter 11 upfront https://t.co/WbdNky4YW2
— Utter Dogshit Pavlovian Boner (@Comrade_Waluigi) December 12, 2025
Not even making an attempt to hate however that was the worst remaining reveal of all time
— Colin (@IntroSpecktive) December 12, 2025
How I felt watching the Highguard reveal pic.twitter.com/EdLwYsPC8L
— Tyrone Powers 🇺🇸⭐️ (@SomethingUNATCO) December 12, 2025
We’ll see how Highguard pans out when it launches subsequent month, but it surely’s a troublesome time to be releasing a live-service hero shooter when it seems like the general public is bored with them. There’s solely a lot time within the week for a giant time-suck of a multiplayer recreation, and lots of people have comfortably sunk into their favourite and aren’t searching for one other. The Sport Awards could have put it in a fair more durable spot by making it the ultimate reveal of the evening. However hey, no less than persons are speaking about it?
