Highguard Designer Reveals Major Post-Launch Team Layoffs
A significant restructuring has occurred at Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind the free-to-play shooter Highguard. Designer Alex Graner announced on LinkedIn that “most” of the development team has been laid off just weeks after the game’s launch. This news was corroborated by other team members, including audio director Brad Snyder and producer Amélia Almeida.
Highguard’s Launch and Initial Success
Highguard was unveiled with considerable excitement during December’s The Game Awards. The game, developed by industry veterans, combines first-person shooter mechanics with rideable mounts and raid-style gameplay. It launched on January 26 for PC and consoles, seeing a promising start with nearly 100,000 concurrent players on Steam and ranking among the top 20 active games on both the US PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
Post-Launch Challenges
Despite this initial success, Highguard faced hurdles following its release. User reviews on Steam turned mixed, and by February, its concurrent player count plummeted to under 5,000, even after a recent content drop. Wildlight Entertainment had planned a year of post-launch content and had just released the game’s second episode, introducing new maps and items.
Context of Major Layoffs
The layoffs represent a significant change for Wildlight, which employs more than 100 people, many of whom are experienced developers from Respawn Entertainment. This team contributed to popular franchises like Apex Legends and Titanfall, alongside former Call of Duty developers.
Challenges in the Gaming Landscape
New live service games like Highguard face stiff competition from established titles such as Fortnite and Call of Duty. The risks are heightened by the considerable investment needed for development and ongoing support. The gaming industry has witnessed failures, with titles like Sony’s Concord being shut down shortly after launch due to low player engagement.
In addressing concerns about player engagement, Wildlight’s studio head, Chad Grenier, previously emphasized that player satisfaction is more important than player numbers. CEO Dusty Welch also dismissed the theory of “shooter fatigue,” citing positive metrics and continued player interest in the shooter genre.
As the situation unfolds at Wildlight Entertainment, the future of Highguard hangs in the balance amid significant changes and challenges in the gaming industry.
