Highguard Launch Struggles as Negative Reviews and Player Criticism Mount After Release

A new live-service game is already getting a lot of bad reviews, and it's being compared to other well-known multiplayer failures very quickly. Wildlife Entertainment developed Highguard, which launched as a free-to-play game on PC and mobile devices. There was some interest in seeing if it could overcome early doubts, but so far the results don't look good.

At launch, the game had about 97,000 players on Steam simultaneously. The number of consoles is still unknown, but PC players have been very clear and mostly harsh. At the time somebody wrote this, Highguard had many negative reviews on Steam, with only 32% of players giving it a good rating.

This reaction is less about being negative out of habit and more about people being unhappy with basic design choices. Many players who took the time to write reviews focus on broader issues with the game's gameplay rather than just complaining about small things. This suggests that the issues go beyond launch-day bugs or balance changes.

One of the main complaints about the game is how the matches are set up. 

There are three-on-three battles in Highguard, but some players say the maps are too big for that many people. They often feel empty and slow, with too much rest and not enough engaging activity. When you're in a large space that requires a lot of moving around, and you don't run into many other people, you can feel the disconnect. Based on what players have said, the experience might work better in 5v5 or even 10v10 formats, which would fill the room better and keep the action going.

Some people didn't like Highguard before it came out, but many were still willing to give it a chance. There was a thought that the game might surprise everyone and become a big hit. That has happened before in the live service space, where low standards are replaced by strong word of mouth. In this case, though, those dreams seem to have faded quickly as people worked with the final cut longer.

Dusty Welch, CEO and founder of Wildlife Entertainment, discussed some of the early concerns in an interview with PC Gamer. He mostly talked about how somebody sold this game. He agreed that the team could have done a better job of explaining what Highguard is. Welch said the video focused too much on being entertaining and not enough on showcasing the game's unique gameplay loop. He said the team knew the message didn't hit home the way they wanted because they saw the comments and read the online responses. He said that was the studio's job.

Marketing may have given people the wrong idea of what to expect, but the game itself is now the bigger problem. Now that players can actually play Highguard, criticism has turned to how it works and how it is put together. The reviews show that people are upset about the speed, size, and style of the matches, not just the way the games look. This is especially worrying for a live-service game, since long-term success depends on keeping players after they're initially interested.

Without major changes, Highguard risks losing its player base as early curiosity gives way to disappointment.

Some effects go beyond the game itself. Before it came out, the game got a lot of attention and support, which has made people's reactions worse now that people don't like it. It's becoming more common to compare Highguard to other live service projects that have failed or are struggling. This supports the idea that Highguard may struggle to stay relevant unless big changes are made quickly.

At this point, it doesn't look like the game will last very long. You can tell that players are getting tired of live service starts that don't get the core experience right from the start.

The research team has said they will keep going, but the road ahead looks rough. If big changes aren't made to meet player concerns, Highguard could end up being just another cautionary tale in a genre that is getting harder to stand out in.