Home News Highguard Launches to “Overwhelmingly Negative” Reviews on Steam

Highguard Launches to “Overwhelmingly Negative” Reviews on Steam

The highly anticipated hero shooter Highguard, developed by Wildlight Entertainment, a studio comprised of industry veterans from the Titanfall and Apex Legends teams, has officially launched on Steam to “Overwhelmingly Negative” user reviews. Despite reaching a peak of nearly 98,000 concurrent players within hours of its release on January 26, 2026, the game’s reception has been largely defined by technical frustrations and polarizing design choices. The “mostly negative” rating marks a rough start for a project that was already facing significant skepticism after its initial reveal at The Game Awards 2025.

Technical Struggles and Performance Concerns

The most consistent criticism from the Steam community centers on the game’s poor optimization. Players across a wide range of hardware, including those with top-tier NVIDIA 50-series cards, have reported significant performance issues. Many users are struggling to maintain a stable 60 FPS even on high-end configurations. The game has also been criticized for being blurry and unclear, with some blaming forced anti-aliasing and motion blur. Furthermore, numerous reviews mention server access errors and critical bugs that prevent players from entering matches or even launching the game. Mandatory Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 requirements have caused additional friction for some PC users, leading to even more negative feedback.

Map Scale and 3v3 Identity Crisis

Beyond technical flaws, the gameplay loop has also come under fire. Highguard features large, open maps designed for tactical exploration, but many players find the 3v3 squad format ill-suited for the environment’s scale. Reviews describe long stretches of running without meaningful player encounters, feeling more like a marathon than a fast-paced shooter. The raid mechanics, which involve mining resources and defending bases, have been labeled as tedious by some, clashing with the high-intensity combat the developer’s pedigree suggested. While some critics have praised the core gunplay, the consensus among Steam users is that the game currently lacks the refinement needed to compete in the crowded live-service market.

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4128260/Highguard/

Tags:

Apex Legends Hero Shooter Highguard overwhelmingly negative PC Games PC performance Steam Steam reviews Titanfall Wildlight Entertainment

Sai T.

Sai is a social media manager and senior web content creator who spends his days juggling game research, deadlines, and the usual existential crisis. When he isn’t crafting content that hopefully goes viral, he’s a dedicated single parent doing his best to navigate work life balance. And in the rare moments when free time actually appears, he’s usually found with his two dogs, who are fully convinced they’re the ones in charge.