Last updated on December 12, 2025
The final reveal of The Game Awards 2025 belonged to a new name. Wildlight Entertainment stepped onto the stage with Highguard, a PvP-focused shooter introduced through a trailer that ran just under three minutes. No extended explanations. Just footage and a clear sense of direction.
Games don’t usually close the show unless there’s confidence behind them. Highguard wasn’t treated like a side announcement. It was the last thing viewers saw before the lights went down.
A Shooter Built Around Raids, Not Survival
Highguard doesn’t follow the familiar battle royale structure. Instead, it leans into a raid-based format where teams are pushed toward objectives rather than simply outlasting each other.
Players control Wardens, described as arcane gunslingers sent into a mythical continent split by ongoing conflict. The central objective is the Shieldbreaker, an item both teams fight over in order to break into enemy territory and damage opposing bases. Matches are less about wiping squads and more about applying pressure where it matters.
Movement, Mounts, and Controlled Chaos
Traversal plays a major role. Mounts allow players to move quickly across the map, changing how and when fights happen. This creates faster rotations and less downtime between encounters.
Each Warden appears to come with their own abilities, pushing players toward defined roles rather than identical loadouts. Weapon design reflects the same philosophy. Highguard blends medieval elements with modern firepower, creating a look that feels deliberate instead of realistic.
Built by a Team With Shooter Experience
Wildlight Entertainment was formed in 2021 by developers who previously worked at Respawn Entertainment. Their background includes Apex Legends and Titanfall, and while Highguard isn’t trying to replicate either, the influence is visible in its movement and combat flow.
The project has been in development for around four years, making it a long-term effort rather than a rushed debut. For a first release, the scope shown in the reveal suggests a studio aiming higher than a small experimental launch.
Release Date and Platforms
Highguard is set to release as a free-to-play title on January 26, 2026. The game will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, giving it full coverage across current-generation platforms from day one.
For now, Wildlight is keeping the focus on the core experience. The trailer didn’t overpromise, but it showed enough to make Highguard stand out from the usual shooter reveals. Sometimes, that restraint says more than a long list of features.
