Wildlight CEO Dusty Welch is conflicted about whether Highguard's peculiar and controversial reveal at The Game Awards 2025 was a good decision, especially as he struggles with toxicity in the wake of the game's rocky launch this week.
Originally planned to be shadow-dropped after about four years in development, Highguard was announced as the final reveal of last year's Game Awards – a coveted spot usually reserved for much more high-profile projects – reportedly, after some convincing from host Geoff Keighley. The free-to-play shooter from Wildlight, a studio comprised of former Apex Legends and Titanfall developers, failed on the global stage to wow viewers with its fairly generic looking fantasy world, heroes, and abilities. Huh, another live-service hero shooter, was the general vibe.
