PvP raid shooter Highguard has received a surprise release today following its flashy reveal at The Game Awards. Developed by Wildlight Entertainment, a studio formed by veterans of Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Call of Duty, the game had remained largely under wraps, but the developers say four years of secret work are now ready to speak for themselves.
Highguard introduces an unusual gameplay loop. Two teams of three players fortify their bases, ride mounts to gather resources, and gradually move into a series of raids aimed at destroying the opposing base.
According to Game Director and Co Founder Chad Grenier, the idea was inspired by the thrill of raiding enemy strongholds in Rust:
«Every match is about escalation. Fortifying, venturing out, clashing, then mounting coordinated raids and defenses until only one base is left standing».
Each round begins with a short preparation phase inside the base, after which players head out to find better gear and collect crystals for upgrades. The turning point comes with the appearance of the magical Shieldbreaker sword. Teams fight to claim it and carry it to the enemy base. Grenier describes it as «reverse Capture the Flag». Delivering the sword triggers a raid, summoning a siege tower that cracks open the base shield.
The attacking team must breach the base and plant bombs at key locations. Two points deal heavy damage, while destroying the central stronghold ends the match immediately. If both bases survive, the match resets into a new phase with stronger gear and tighter timers. Lead Designer Mohammad Alavi explains that this pacing was tuned to keep the experience intense without becoming exhausting.
At launch, Highguard features ten weapons alongside raid tools such as a rocket launcher, an explosive sledgehammer, or a zipline gun. Movement feels smooth and responsive, reflecting the team’s Respawn roots. A major highlight is the mount system, allowing players to summon horses, bears, panthers, or gryphons to traverse the large maps quickly and create unique combat moments.
Players also choose from eight Wardens available at launch, each with a passive ability, a tactical skill, and an ultimate. Characters include Atticus with lightning spears, the shaman Una who summons nature spirits, and Kai who controls space with massive ice walls. Teams additionally vote on one of six bases, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses that interact with Warden abilities. Wildlight has ambitious live service plans. Content will roll out in two month chapters, with new additions planned every month. The first update will introduce ranked play.
CEO and Co Founder Dusty Welch says the team learned from Apex Legends:
«From day one, we built this company around operating a live service successfully and maintaining an ongoing dialog with our players. We did not do that well at the launch of Apex, but we are extremely well prepared now».
Highguard is available to play for free today on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
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