Wildlight Entertainment, the developer of *Highguard*, has faced significant layoffs shortly after the game’s release on January 26. The news first surfaced through LinkedIn posts before the studio confirmed it via a statement on X.
Details of the Layoffs
The layoffs at Wildlight appear to encompass various roles, including gameplay engineers, software engineers, and UI designers. Level designer Alex Garner indicated on LinkedIn that “most of the team at Wildlight” was let go, although the exact number of affected employees remains unverified by Polygon.
Official Statement from Wildlight
In their statement, Wildlight expressed regret over the decision, stating, “Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game.” The studio acknowledged the contributions of its team and the support from the player community.
Highguard’s Launch and Reception
*Highguard* was unveiled during the 2025 Game Awards, where it closed the event in a high-profile reveal. Despite its visually striking trailer, the game initially left many questions unanswered, leading to mixed perceptions about its gameplay. A subsequent press preview in late January provided more clarity, revealing that the Game Awards host, Geoff Keighley, had influenced the decision to debut the game at the event.
The critical reception of *Highguard* was generally positive, yet the game struggled to capture a large audience post-launch. In response, Wildlight introduced a 5v5 mode that resonated well with players, prompting the studio to make it a permanent feature. Recently, *Highguard* also welcomed its first new playable character through an update that refined gameplay mechanics, suggesting a potential turnaround for the title.
Future Plans for Highguard
Despite the challenges, studio head Chad Grenier emphasized that the success of *Highguard* is not solely measured by player numbers, stating, “it doesn’t matter” whether the game attracts a thousand or a hundred million players. Wildlight has also indicated that it has a year of content planned for *Highguard*, aiming to sustain player engagement and support the game’s development moving forward.
This article was produced by NeonPulse.today using human and AI-assisted editorial processes, based on publicly available information. Content may be edited for clarity and style.
