It isn’t easy to release a hero shooter in 2026, but WIldlight Entertainment is doing just that with Highguard. Revealed late in 2025 at The Game Awards, Highguard is a shooter that’s been developed by folks who had a hand in Apex Legends and Titanfall.
Right now, not everything is going according to plan. As of the time of publication, it’s currently being hit with negative reviews on Steam.
Highguard Is Sitting At “Mostly Negative” Steam Reviews At Launch
It’s Not Easy Releasing A Hero Shooter In 2026
Described as a “PVP raid shooter,” you’ll gear up in Highguard as a hero (called Wardens in-game) and squad up in teams of three. Traversal is a huge part of the game, complete with mounts and other forms of magical travel. Visually, it looks like it could stand apart from many other similar-looking hero shooters, but some fans aren’t convinced yet.
Some reviews focus more on the gameplay: “Kinda mid, forced motion blur, low fps, and generic characters/gameplay.” Some are even having technical issues, with one user noting: “Why does this run so poorly? Actual 2026 game moment. Ryzen 7 7800X3D RTX 5080 64GB RAM Installed on an SSD (of course). Like you have to actually try to make it run this bad, I’m impressed.” Another writes: “Terribly optimized, low performing game. Just play Apex or Titanfall.”
Others are angry at queues, calling the game’s launch a “queue simulator.” Several other reviews are lamenting the secure boot requirement, which has been an increasing issue in recent months, notably with Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Another review takes umbrage with the fact that the game isn’t Steam Deck-compatible.
Highguard Has A Long Road Ahead Of It
There’s Time For Fixes
Not everything is doom and gloom. Some folks who played more than an hour of Highguard have high hopes for it, and there are positive reviews on Steam to counter the negative ones. It’s entirely possible that by the end of the day, we’ll start to see a more established playerbase rise up and balance the reviews out.
One in particular likes the objective-based focus of Highguard, and how it’s different from other shooters on the market: “The biggest takeaway after the first few matches is that the rules are really different. This isn’t just a temu Concord or OW. The build-up, flag, and siege phases give the match a clear rhythm, and once you get used to it, it’s way more fun than pure aim duels.”
Games like this often have a longer lifespan and smooth out bigger complaints quickly, so they can thrive. While not every game has that luxury (RIP Concord), Wildlight Entertainment seems committed to making Highguard better post-launch.
- Released
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January 26, 2026
- Developer(s)
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Wildlight Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
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Wildlight Entertainment
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
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Full
- Number of Players
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Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Unknown