Highguard, the new free-to-play PvP raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment, has been uncovered to be financially backed by Tencent, according to reports. This revelation comes after the game faced harsh criticism upon its launch and a series of layoffs soon followed for its development team. Initially received with around 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, the game did not meet critical expectations and suffered from poor user scores. Despite Wildlight branding itself as a fully-funded studio, the relationship with Tencent and the extent of financial support remain unclear. The game’s official website recently went offline, raising concerns about the future of Highguard and its developers.

What happened to the developers of Highguard?

Following the release of Highguard, a significant number of the developers at Wildlight Entertainment were laid off just weeks after the game's launch, leading to uncertainty about the studio's future.

Highguard is positioned within the competitive landscape of free-to-play shooters, an increasingly popular genre that has seen many titles rise and fall rapidly. The game's initial announcement at The Game Awards generated considerable hype, but the transition from excitement to criticism highlights the volatile nature of game development and community expectations. The fate of Wildlight Entertainment now hangs in the balance as they attempt to maintain a core team to support ongoing development for Highguard.