Wildlight Entertainment has laid off most of its team just weeks after launching its arena shooter Highguard. Level designer Alex Graner confirmed on LinkedIn that the layoffs impacted the majority of staff, though the company says it's retaining a "core group of developers" to continue supporting the game. The studio behind Highguard included developers from Apex Legends and Titanfall.

Highguard was announced as a surprise during the 2025 Game Awards but received a lukewarm reception from audiences expecting something more exciting. Released at the end of January, the game initially attracted around 100,000 concurrent players on Steam but quickly plummeted to under 3,000. Despite Wildlight's efforts to make adjustments based on player feedback, including adding a 5v5 mode, the dwindling player count appears to have led to the mass layoffs.

The studio expressed gratitude to players who tried the game and remain part of the community. Highguard's rapid decline from promising debut to staff reductions highlights the brutal realities of the gaming industry, where even games with impressive pedigrees from veteran developers can struggle to maintain player interest in a crowded market.