Highguard, the live-service multiplayer shooter announced at the Game Awards 2025, will shut down on March 12 after just 46 days of operation. Developer Wildlight Studios announced the closure alongside details of its final update, which includes a new character, weapon, and skill trees. The studio thanked players for their support but cited an unsustainable player base as the reason for closure.

More than two million players tried Highguard since launch, but the game struggled to retain users. SteamDB data shows the game peaked at over 97,000 concurrent players before dropping to around 300. Wildlight Studios, staffed by former Respawn employees, had hoped to replicate the surprise success of Apex Legends but faced different challenges with Highguard.

Tencent, one of Wildlight's investors, reportedly pulled funding as player counts dwindled, leading to staff layoffs and reduced development runway. The studio continued supporting the game with updates including a 5v5 raid mode, but couldn't overcome the fundamental challenges. Highguard's failure highlights the difficulty of launching competitive online multiplayer games in today's market.