Highguard Didn't Have To Fail
aftermath.site • • technology
Key Points:
- Highguard, a raid shooter developed by ex-Titanfall and Apex Legends creators, is shutting down on March 12 after less than two months due to poor reception and player drop-off.
- The game's downfall was attributed to studio leadership's hubris and refusal to adapt, relying on secrecy and a strategy that mimicked Apex Legends' shadow drop without public testing or community feedback.
- Wildlight, the developer, laid off most of the Highguard team shortly after release, and Tencent, which had secretly funded the game, withdrew its support, exacerbating the project's decline.
- Despite a healthy and collaborative work environment initially, morale collapsed in the final months due to unclear success metrics and inflexible leadership decisions.
- The failure
