Wildlight Entertainment Confirms Layoffs at Highguard Development Studio
Wildlight Entertainment has confirmed layoffs at its Highguard development studio. The announcement comes shortly after several staff members, including level designer Alex Graner, revealed on social media that they had been let go. While the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed, Graner mentioned that he and the majority of his team were among those dismissed.
Impact on Highguard’s Development
In an official statement, Wildlight acknowledged making “an incredibly difficult decision” to reduce its team size. A “core group” of developers will remain to support and innovate on Highguard, although details regarding the impact on the game’s content roadmap were not provided.
Background on Highguard
- Highguard launched on January 26, 2023, as a free-to-play raid shooter.
- The game received mixed reviews upon its release.
- Matt Miller, Game Informer Editor-in-Chief, described it as a “promising contender.”
Graner expressed disappointment over the layoffs, citing unreleased content he and others had been excited about. He noted that the cancellation of this content would be disheartening, especially as the industry has faced numerous disruptions due to staffing changes.
Future Developments
Highguard was initially revealed as the final title at The Game Awards in December 2022. However, its reception was lukewarm, potentially influenced by its position at the awards show and the intricacies of its first-person shooter mechanics. Despite these challenges, Wildlight Entertainment had recently announced an Episode 2 content drop. This update introduced a new ranked mode, additional heroes, and new maps.
As details about the layoffs and their consequences for Highguard’s development emerge, Game Informer has reached out to Wildlight to obtain further information. The studio’s future, along with the fate of its ambitious game, remains uncertain.
