The launch of Highguard, the ambitious free-to-play “PvP raid shooter” from Wildlight Entertainment, has become a flashpoint for a larger conversation within the video game industry. Despite hitting an impressive peak of over 97,000 concurrent players on Steam during its January 26 debut, the game was immediately met with a “Mostly Negative” user rating. Critics and players alike pointed toward performance issues and a perceived lack of polish, while others questioned its placement as the surprise “one more thing” reveal at the end of last month’s The Game Awards.
A Call for Respect in Game Criticism
Amidst the digital vitriol, several high-profile developers have stepped forward to support the team at Wildlight. Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3), took to social media to express his concern over the current state of game discourse. Vincke emphasized that putting a creative work into the world makes developers vulnerable, and that effort alone deserves respect. He suggested that critics should exercise more restraint, noting that “harsh words do real damage” and can lead to sensitive creators losing their idealism and love for the community.
Joining the defense were industry veterans like Cliff Bleszinski, and Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. Rein described the online “hatred” toward a free game from a new studio as “downright horrible,” urging the community to approach gaming with joy rather than hostility. Bleszinski, known for the Gears of War series, questioned when it became “trendy” to hate on new releases, describing the constant negativity as exhausting for those who build these experiences.
Even from our first impressions, we reflected from the outset on something that was foreseeable even before the game was released. “In an industry where entertainment is full of sequels, and although it demands something new, any original idea faces an uphill battle,” our preview began.
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flappers87 on January 28th, 2026 at 16:57 UTC »
I get there was unjustified review bombing of the game.
But at the same time, the game just isn't that good. It's boring, buggy and performance is atrocious.
MrDrTrey on January 28th, 2026 at 16:24 UTC »
It felt fine and I didn't have to wait in queue very long on launch day. I wasn't stoked playing it but it felt fine. Would be much better with larger teams and speed up getting into fights.
Does not feel like a game that should have been announced at the end of the game awards, but for a free game I wasn't really anticipating personally it seems fine. It has potential but this "full release" feels like an early access
Isaccard on January 28th, 2026 at 16:00 UTC »
idk make better games maybe?
It’s not just culture warrior bs here, who asked for Apex with extra steps?