Highguard’s Final Trailer at The Game Awards Stuns Viewers
▼ Summary
– The final Game Awards premiere was *Highguard*, a new sci-fi/fantasy raid shooter from a studio founded by former *Titanfall* and *Apex Legends* developers.
– The game features fast-paced action and a unique blend of fantasy and modern elements, but its overall presentation has been criticized as looking generic.
– *Highguard* was developed in secret and launches soon, entering a saturated and risky market for live-service hero shooters.
– Online reaction to the reveal was overwhelmingly negative, with many criticizing its generic appearance and expressing fatigue with the genre.
– The article concludes that launching a new live-service hero shooter now is challenging due to market fatigue and players’ existing commitments to other games.
The final reveal at The Game Awards took many by surprise, not with a blockbuster sequel but with the debut of Highguard, a new free-to-play hero shooter from Wildlight Entertainment. Developed by veterans from Respawn Entertainment, the team behind Titanfall and Apex Legends, this sci-fantasy raid shooter promises fast-paced action blending gunplay with magic. Despite its pedigree, the announcement has sparked a notably divided reaction, largely due to factors beyond the game’s core design.
On its own merits, Highguard appears competently made. It incorporates the fluid, acrobatic movement synonymous with Titanfall, pairing it with a chaotic mix of fantasy and modern combat. Imagine galloping on a horse while firing a rifle, then dismounting to unleash elemental spells upon enemies. The potential for dynamic gameplay is evident. Yet, the overall presentation struggles with a sense of familiarity. Its visual style and even its name feel somewhat nondescript in a crowded market, leading some to dismiss it at a glance as just another generic live-service entry.
Wildlight has operated in stealth for years, which explains the unusually short window between announcement and its scheduled launch on January 26. This timing, however, places Highguard in a challenging landscape. The hero shooter and live-service sector has become increasingly risky, with player skepticism at an all-time high. Many gamers are reluctant to invest time in a new title that could demand significant hours or, worse, follow the path of games like Concord and shut down prematurely. Furthermore, the genre itself feels saturated, making any new contender inevitable compared to established giants like Overwatch, though Highguard’s mechanics seem more distinct than direct clones like Marvel Rivals.
Online sentiment following the trailer has been harsh. Social media reactions ranged from mocking its generic appearance and name, with one user quipping, “oh i get it, it’s ‘high’ like ‘over’ and ‘guard’ like ‘watch’”, to expressing outright fatigue. Critics labeled it a “‘servers shut down in 6 months’ fps” and lamented its position as the night’s final premiere, with one comment calling it “the worst final reveal of all time.” This backlash underscores a broader weariness with the live-service model.
Ultimately, Highguard faces an uphill battle upon its release next month. The public appetite for new time-intensive multiplayer games appears limited, with many players deeply entrenched in their current favorites. Its showcase as the grand finale of The Game Awards may have inadvertently heightened expectations, setting a stage where anything short of revolutionary was bound to disappoint. Whether the game can leverage its solid foundational gameplay to overcome this skeptical reception remains to be seen. For now, the intense discussion surrounding it proves that in the world of gaming announcements, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
(Source: Kotaku)
