In a stunning turn of events for the gaming industry, Wildlight Entertainment has announced the permanent shutdown of its free-to-play multiplayer shooter Highguard, mere weeks after its launch. The game, which debuted on January 26, 2026, will see its servers go offline on March 12, 2026, marking one of the shortest lifespans for a major live-service title in recent memory.
Highguard was positioned as an ambitious “raid shooter,” blending elements of hero-based combat with objective-driven raids in a mythical continent setting. It generated buzz with its reveal at The Game Awards in December 2025 and launched as a free-to-play title across platforms, aiming to capture the lucrative live-service market. Despite attracting over two million players since launch, the game struggled to maintain momentum. Wildlight cited an inability to build a “sustainable player base” as the primary reason for the closure, noting that revenue was insufficient to keep the team