Highguard’s recent launch has sparked a significant conversation in the gaming community, particularly around the importance of visibility for new titles. As Wildlight Entertainment’s creative director Jason McCord pointed out, the key to success for a live service game is to “get eyeballs on your game.” This insight underscores the challenges that new games face in a crowded market, where first impressions can make or break a title’s future. Despite a mixed reception at launch, Highguard has shown resilience, quickly addressing community feedback with a patch that enhances performance and introduces a highly anticipated 5v5 mode.

Highguard, the newly launched free-to-play shooter, has made waves in the gaming community by attracting nearly 100,000 concurrent players on its launch day. However, this impressive player count is overshadowed by a staggering 13,000 negative reviews on Steam, raising questions about the game’s reception and future. Despite the excitement surrounding its announcement at The Game Awards, where it was the final reveal, players have expressed dissatisfaction primarily due to the game’s large map size, which many feel is ill-suited for its 3vs3 matchups.