Wildlight Entertainment unveiled Highguard, a free-to-play PvP raid shooter, as the final world premiere at The Game Awards 2025. Developed by former Respawn Entertainment team members behind Titanfall and Apex Legends, the game blends sci-fi and fantasy elements with high-octane action. It is set to release on January 26, 2026.
Announcement Details
Highguard was revealed during The Game Awards on December 12, 2025, closing out the show's world premieres. The trailer showcased fast-paced gameplay featuring signature movement mechanics reminiscent of Titanfall, including riding spectral beasts and using a mix of rifles, elemental spells, and horseback combat. Wildlight Entertainment, a new studio formed by ex-Respawn developers, has been working on the project in secret for years.
Gameplay and Features
Described as a hero shooter with live-service elements, Highguard tasks players as Wardens—arcane gunslingers battling for control of a mythical continent. Matches involve raiding rival bases to secure territory using the Shieldbreaker mechanic. The game combines modern weaponry with fantasy aesthetics, such as scorching enemies with spells after rifle fire. Despite its ambitious scope, some observers noted its generic appearance amid a saturated hero shooter market.
Reception and Context
The reveal drew mixed reactions online, with critics comparing it to Overwatch and expressing fatigue with the genre, especially after flops like Concord. Tweets highlighted skepticism, such as one user joking about it being a 'F2P generic Hero Shooter' and another predicting quick server shutdowns. However, the pedigree of its developers offers hope for polished mechanics.
Highguard arrives in a challenging landscape for multiplayer titles, where player retention is key. Its free-to-play model may help accessibility, but success depends on standing out. As one source noted, 'It's a tough time to be releasing a live-service hero shooter when the public is tired of them.'
We'll see how it performs upon launch next month.