Highguard Overview: Everything You Need to Know

Highguard is a new free-to-play, first-person shooter from developer Wildlight Entertainment. Staffed by veterans from Respawn Entertainment, the studio’s debut title blends fantasy and sci-fi elements in a PvP “raid shooter” format. This Highguard overview compiles the essential details about the game revealed ahead of its launch. Players take on the role of Wardens, described as arcane gunslingers, fighting for control of a mythical continent. The core gameplay loop involves battling other teams to secure a Shieldbreaker, then using it to breach and destroy an enemy’s base.

Highguard Release Date & Platforms

Wildlight Entertainment has set the Highguard release date for January 26, 2026. The game will launch as a full release, not in early access. The shooter will be available on PC (on Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. It will support full cross-play and cross-platform multiplayer from day one, allowing friends to team up regardless of their chosen system.

Highguard System Requirements for PC

The development team released two tiers of hardware specifications for PC players.

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K/ AMD Ryzen R5 1600
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB/ AMD RX 580 8 GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 25 GB available space

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-9600K/ AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• Memory: 12 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia RTX 2080 8 GB/ AMD RX 6650 XT 8 GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 25 GB available space

The team notes that an SSD is required for minimum performance, while an NVMe SSD is suggested for the recommended experience.

Highguard Silent Marketing Strategy

Following a reveal at The Game Awards in December 2025, official communication from Wildlight Entertainment has been minimal. The game’s official YouTube channel and social media accounts posted little after the announcement, and the Steam page offered only a brief description:

“From the creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall, comes Highguard: a PvP raid shooter where players will ride, fight, and raid as Wardens, arcane gunslingers sent to fight for control of a mythical continent.”

This quiet approach appears to echo the surprise launch strategy of Apex Legends. Wildlight Entertainment seems to be following a proven path, relying on a model that proved successful for its developers in the past. The marketing may be leaning heavily on streamer culture, with a significant budget likely allocated for influencers to simultaneously begin broadcasting the game on its launch day. The free-to-play model removes any financial barrier for players, a key factor in enabling a massive, immediate influx of users driven by this potential influencer campaign.

Highguard Gameplay

Highguard’s gameplay is divided into two distinct phases. Initially, teams of players compete in open combat to secure control of an objective called the Shieldbreaker. Once a team captures this device, the match transitions into its raid phase. The attacking team must then use the Shieldbreaker to infiltrate the opposing team’s base and destroy it to win the round. The gameplay trailer showed a mix of futuristic gunplay and characters riding medieval-style mounts, with destructible environments and unique hero abilities.

Highguard Achievements list

The PS5 trophy list for Highguard appeared on the achievement-tracking site Exophase on January 22, four days before the game's release. The list of 33 trophies offers insight into the game's mechanics, rewarding actions like opening 15 chests in a match for the "Plunderer" trophy and eliminating 20 enemy mounts to earn "Animal Control."

• Pendragon: So... the legends are true. These mythic tales of old are more than just words
• Rite of Passage: Complete the Tutorial
• Battle-Hardened: Complete 10 Raid Mode matches
• Trial by Combat: Complete a Raid Mode match
• A True Warden of Highguard: Win 20 Raid Mode matches
• Breaking and Entering: Plant the Shieldbreaker to start a raid (Awarded on match completion)
• Tip of the Spear... And My Axe: Complete 5 Raid Mode matches with any Assault Warden
• You Have My Shield: Complete 5 Raid Mode matches with any Defensive Warden
• All Seeing Eye: Complete 5 Raid Mode matches with any Recon Warden
• Got Your Six: Complete 5 Raid Mode matches with any Support Warden
• Carved a Path: Complete 5 Raid Mode matches with any Destruction Warden
• Soul Mate: Revive a teammate (Awarded on match completion)
• Soul Eater: Destroy 30 enemy soul orbs (Awarded on match completion)
• Saboteur: Sabotage 20 generators when raiding an enemy base (Awarded on match completion)
• Cordcutter: Defuse 20 generators when defending your base (Awarded on match completion)
• Lambs to the Slaughter: Wipe the enemy team during Overtime - 10 times (Awarded on match completion)
• Animal Control: Eliminate 20 enemy mounts (Awarded on match completion)
• Heavy "Cavalry": Eliminate 10 enemies while riding your mount (Awarded on match completion)
• Suppressive Fire: Acquire the BigRig LMG and destroy at least 3 iron walls with the weapon in a single match
• Plunderer: Open and acquire loot from at least 15 chests in a single match (Awarded on match completion)
• Blade vs. Bullet: Eliminate 10 enemies with your axe (Awarded on match completion)
• The Slow Blade Penetrates the Shield: Plant a Domesplitter to enter an enemy base (Awarded on match completion)
• Legendary Armaments: Equip at least three Legendary items within a single match (Awarded on match completion)
• Pocket Full of Vesper: Buy 10 Rare items or better from the Vendor in a single match (Awarded on match completion)
• Shock and Awe: Use your Ultimate Power at least three times in a single match (Awarded on match completion)
• Lord of Destruction: Destroy at least 20 walls of any type (Awarded on match completion)
• One Shot, One Kill: Win five Raid Mode matches by destroying the enemy base via Anchor Stone only
• Overwhelming Force: Win five Raid Mode matches in under 10 minutes
• Go for Broke: Win five Raid Mode matches individually spending at least 77 Vesper at the Vendor in a single match
• Send Their Regards: Eliminate 77 enemies with Legendary Weapons (Awarded on match completion)
• Perfectly Balanced: Win five Raid Mode matches without entering Overtime
• Our Last Stand: During Overtime, wipe the enemy team as the last man standing (Awarded on match completion)
• Protocol Three: Win a Raid Mode match in under 12 minutes with at least one member of your team never dying

I guess the flow will feel like a mix of a hero shooter's objective control and a siege mode from other multiplayer games. The initial fight for the Shieldbreaker will likely be a chaotic, fast-paced skirmish focused on pure combat skill. Once a team grabs the Shieldbreaker, the game will slow down and become more strategic. The attackers will try to break into the enemy's base, while the defenders try to stop them by setting up defenses. How fun the game is will depend on how well these two different stages — the big fight and the base attack — fit together.