Highguard, a new free-to-play shooter from Wildlight Entertainment, has attracted a large initial audience but is struggling with a sharply negative reception from players following its launch on Jan. 26, 2026. Data from Steam shows the game reached a peak of 97,249 concurrent players shortly after release.
Despite the strong start, user feedback has been largely critical. The title has accumulated more than 16,000 reviews, with about 71% rated negative, as players cited optimization problems and dissatisfaction with the game’s core 3v3 gameplay loop.
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Wildlight describes Highguard as a “PvP Raid Shooter,” combining hero-style abilities with base-assault mechanics. Players select a “Warden” character, fortify a castle at the start of each match and then move through a multi-phase structure involving exploration, combat and a final siege scenario. However, many reviewers said the large maps and small team sizes led to slow pacing and extended periods without action.
Technical performance has been another major concern. Players reported frame-rate drops even on high-end hardware and complained that heavy use of upscaling made visuals appear unclear. Others pointed to the game’s secure boot requirement for its anti-cheat system as an additional barrier to entry.
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Wildlight has acknowledged some early missteps. Chief executive Dusty Welch said the game’s initial reveal “didn’t show off the gameplay loop well,” as expectations built following its prominent appearance at the 2025 Game Awards. With Highguard currently rated “Mostly Negative” on Steam, the studio now faces pressure to improve performance and address player concerns to retain its audience.