Highguard developer Wildlight Entertainment has laid off an unspecified number of staff.​
In a statement on social media, the studio announced that a “core group of developers” will remain to support the free-to-play shooter.
“We made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game,” it said.
“We’re proud of the team, talent, and the product we’ve created together. We’re also grateful for players who have the game a shot, and those who continue to be part of the community.”
According to a former employee, “most of the team” had been let go from the developer.
“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,” former level designer Alex Graner wrote on LinkedIn.
GamesIndustry.biz has contacted Wildlight to confirm how many employees were affected by the layoffs.
Last month, Wildlight CEO and founder Dusty Welch said he wished Highguard “had been received better”.
Welch also addressed the mixed reception of the title’s reveal at The Game Awards and the limited marketing prior to its launch on January 27, 2026.
“I think, ultimately, we could have made a different trailer – a better trailer that wasn’t about entertaining, which is what we think [The Game Awards] was about,” said Welch.
“We could have made something that did a better job of highlighting the unique loop of the game. So that’s on us. We take that, but the team is resilient.”
Wildlight design and creative director Jason McCord added: “The plan was to announce, go dark, and then the next thing we want players to see is the game.
“If the reception had been totally different, it would have been the same plan. The key is, you’ve got to play the game.”
