Highguard Studio Faces Job Cuts Shortly After Game Release

Wildlight Entertainment, the team behind the recently launched not-hero shooter Highguard, has reportedly let go of “most” of its staff just weeks after the game hit the market on January 26.

Level designer Alex Graner shared the news on his LinkedIn, expressing his search for new opportunities following his layoff along with an unspecified number of colleagues. An outlet has reached out to Wildlight for further details and will provide updates if a response is received.

Unfortunately, along with most of the team at Wildlight, I was laid off today.

This one really stings as there was a lot of unreleased content I was really looking forward to that I and others designed for Highguard.

However, I’m excited for my next adventure. If your team or anyone you know needs an experienced Level Designer, hit me up!

Highguard was first revealed in December during the 2025 Game Awards, but it didn’t make the best impression on some parts of the gaming community. After a period of silence, the game finally launched at the end of January, allowing press and content creators to dive in. The reception was somewhat tepid, though it was overshadowed by bizarre conspiracy theories that even the Game Awards host acknowledged. Wildlight quickly addressed feedback regarding the game’s limited 3v3 team format by introducing a 5v5 mode within the first week.

Despite facing challenges with player numbers, director and studio head Chad Grenier mentioned in an interview that the team prioritized player enjoyment over sheer numbers. “Whether it gets a thousand people or a hundred million people, it doesn’t matter,” he stated. “What matters most is that the game is loved by the people who played it.”

This is a developing story…