Concerns about the potential shutdown of the free-to-play shooter Highguard have intensified after its official website went offline earlier this week, remaining inaccessible for over 17 hours at the time of reporting. The situation has sparked alarm among the gaming community, with many fearing it signals the game's imminent demise.
Developer Responds to Website Outage
A developer from Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind Highguard, has addressed the situation through the game's Discord channel. According to their statement, the website is down because it "needs to be transferred and simplified." However, they admitted uncertainty about the timeframe for this process, describing it as a "low priority" for the studio at the moment.
The developer's message, shared via Rebs Gaming on social media, stated: "Low priority at the moment (reputational damage already done). Now we just need to focus on delivering updates and content to improve." This explanation has done little to reassure concerned players, as it remains unclear why the website would be completely disabled if it's not actively being worked on.
Current State of Highguard
Highguard launched with strong initial numbers but has experienced significant player decline in the weeks following its debut. This dwindling post-launch performance led Wildlight Entertainment to lay off the majority of its staff last week, retaining only a "core group of developers" to continue supporting the title.
Despite these challenges, the game is not shutting down immediately. Wildlight has planned a full year of downloadable content (DLC) for Highguard, though the future prospects appear increasingly uncertain given the current circumstances.
Tencent's Financial Involvement Revealed
Adding another layer to the story, a report from Stephen Totilo's Game File newsletter has revealed previously undisclosed financial backing from Chinese technology conglomerate Tencent. Specifically, Tencent's TiMi Studio Group provided financial support to Wildlight Entertainment, though this relationship was not made public before now.
This revelation is particularly notable because Wildlight had previously marketed itself as being entirely free from big publisher involvement and interference. Tencent has investments in numerous gaming companies, including Ubisoft, Riot Games, and Bloober Team, making its involvement in Highguard less surprising from an industry perspective but more significant given Wildlight's public positioning.
Unanswered Questions and Future Outlook
The combination of website downtime, staff reductions, and newly revealed financial backing has created numerous unanswered questions about Highguard's future:
- Why was Tencent's involvement not disclosed earlier?
- How will the reduced development team manage the promised year of DLC?
- Can Highguard recover from its declining player numbers?
- What specific improvements are planned through upcoming updates?
Tencent's financial backing might explain why Highguard remains active despite its low player count, but whether Wildlight can reverse the game's fortunes in the coming months remains uncertain. The studio's focus on delivering updates and content improvements suggests they haven't abandoned the project entirely, but the current situation has undoubtedly damaged player confidence.
GameCentral has reached out to Wildlight Entertainment for further clarification on the website situation and the game's future plans. As the gaming community watches closely, Highguard's path forward appears increasingly precarious, with its survival dependent on both technical resolutions and player retention efforts in the challenging free-to-play market.
