“CEO Reflects on Highguard’s Reception After Cancelling Apex Legends-Style Surprise Drop”

Self-described PvP raid shooter Highguard has officially launched, following a reveal at The Game Awards that stirred up a mix of confusion, disappointment, and cautious optimism. Dusty Welch, CEO and cofounder of Wildlight Entertainment, acknowledges that the rollout could have been smoother, revealing that the team initially aimed for a surprise launch similar to Apex Legends.

“I wish Highguard had been received better. I wish the feedback had been better,” Welch shared. “Part of that’s on us. We didn’t ignore the feedback. We’re gamers ourselves, and we saw the reactions. Ultimately, we could have crafted a different trailer—one that focused less on entertainment, which is what we thought The Game Awards was about.”

Chad Grenier, another cofounder at Wildlight, mentioned that the trailer for the Game Awards was put together quickly after an invitation from show host Geoff Keighley. “We’ve known Geoff for a long time, and he suggested doing something a bit risky—taking a free-to-play PvP raid shooter and showcasing it,” Grenier explained.

Initially, the plan for Highguard’s launch was a straightforward shadow drop: reveal and release simultaneously. “We were set on a shadow drop since day one, almost from the formation of this company; we did it with Apex, and it worked well,” Grenier added.

Welch also reflected on the game’s appearance at TGA and Keighley’s offer: “Geoff’s a friend of the studio. He played the game a couple of times and loved it. So when he proposed showcasing an indie studio and a free-to-play game, who wouldn’t jump at that opportunity? It’s the biggest platform in gaming.”

Unfortunately, the reveal didn’t have the intended impact, and Wildlight’s silence afterward—only broken by a launch showcase coinciding with the game’s release—allowed uncertainty to grow. However, this quiet period was part of the strategy, according to design and creative director James McCord, who emphasized, “The key is, you’ve got to play the game.”

While Highguard’s future remains uncertain, it hasn’t faced a complete failure like Concord. As of now, Highguard has peaked at over 84,000 players, a number that continues to climb. Its Twitch category is currently attracting 363,000 viewers.

The game is free-to-play and available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A new “Episode” of content, featuring a new playable hero, a fourth mount type, and a ranked mode, is set to launch in two weeks.