Developer’s “Blame the Gamers” Rant Sparks Backlash Over Reviews
▼ Summary
– Highguard is a free-to-play 3v3 hero shooter that streamer Shroud compared to Realm Royale, though he noted it launched with issues needing fixes.
– Shroud observed the game faced significant pre-launch criticism, putting pressure on the developers to improve it quickly.
– Shortly after launch, a senior level designer revealed that most of the development team at Wildlight had been laid off.
– Developer Josh Sobel described the team’s initial optimism before the game’s reveal, which was shattered by the negative reaction to its trailer.
– YouTuber Asmongold criticized this optimism as “toxic positivity,” arguing friends and family are unlikely to give unbiased negative feedback.
The launch of the free-to-play hero shooter Highguard has been overshadowed by controversy, shifting focus from its 3v3 gameplay to a developer’s public frustration with player feedback. Following a tepid reception at The Game Awards and mixed reviews, a senior team member’s online comments have ignited a significant debate about accountability in game development. The situation escalated when popular streamer Shroud noted the game gave him “Realm Royale vibes” but expressed concern it was starting on the “back foot,” with public opinion souring even before release. His measured critique stood in contrast to more vocal critics, like YouTuber Asmongold, who derisively labeled the project “Concord 2.”
This comparison prompted a lengthy response from developer Josh Sobel on his now-deleted social media account. In a post titled “Reflecting on shipping my first game (Highguard),” Sobel detailed the team’s optimistic atmosphere during development. He described receiving positive internal feedback and sharing excitement with friends and family before the game’s unveiling. The narrative took a sharp turn following the public trailer reveal, which Sobel characterized as the moment everything went “downhill from there,” leading to widespread negative player reviews that he suggested were overly harsh.
The core of the backlash stems from Sobel’s perspective on the criticism. His post implied that the gaming community was unfairly dismissive, failing to appreciate the team’s hard work and the game’s merits. This stance was perceived by many as deflecting blame onto players rather than engaging with substantive feedback about the game’s performance and design. The controversy deepened with the revelation that most of the development team at Wildlight Entertainment had been laid off just two weeks after Highguard’s launch, a fact highlighted by a former senior level designer on LinkedIn.
Responding directly to Sobel’s post, Asmongold challenged the developer’s reliance on pre-launch optimism from personal connections. “You really think that all of your friends and family are gonna tell you that your game’s bad?” he asked, arguing that such sources are inherently biased. He described this dynamic as “toxic positivity,” suggesting it insulated the developers from the critical, market-based feedback that ultimately shaped the game’s rocky public reception. This exchange underscores a persistent tension in the industry between developer vision and consumer expectations, highlighting how public perception and early reviews can critically impact a game’s commercial viability and a studio’s future.
(Source: NotebookCheck)
