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Highguard and Free-to-Play PvP Raid Combat
Highguard is now officially live. Independent studio Wildlight Entertainment has launched its debut free-to-play title on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles, with full cross-play available from day one.
Positioned as a 3v3 PvP raid shooter, it blends gunplay, base sieges, and territory control into a single escalating match structure. Rather than ending after a single decisive encounter, each match builds in intensity as teams fortify bases, gather resources, and clash repeatedly until only one stronghold remains.
The launch follows a strong reception to the game’s earlier reveal at The Game Awards 2025, where its unusual competitive structure first drew attention.
Built by Veterans of Modern Shooters
Wildlight Entertainment’s founding team includes developers who previously worked on Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. That pedigree is evident in Highguard’s emphasis on responsive gunplay, readable encounters, and fast traversal.
However, its core identity comes from how those shooting fundamentals are layered into a raid based structure more commonly associated with PvE experiences. Every match is designed to evolve rather than reset, with power levels increasing across successive clashes.
How PvP Raids Work
Players take on the role of Wardens, arcane gunslingers fighting for control of a mythical continent where magic and siege warfare coexist. Each match begins with two teams of three selecting and fortifying their own bases.
From there, squads venture into the surrounding world to loot, harvest resources, and upgrade weapons while skirmishing with their rivals. As magical storms close in, attention shifts toward the Shieldbreaker, a powerful sword required to breach enemy base defences.
Successfully delivering the Shieldbreaker to an opposing base triggers a full scale raid, forcing both teams into a coordinated attack and defence scenario. If the defending team survives, the base repairs itself, the siege tower disappears, and the match escalates further. Gear improves, loot tiers rise, and a new Shieldbreaker spawns elsewhere on the map, pushing both sides back into the field. This loop continues until one base finally falls.
Wardens, Weapons, and Mobility
Each Warden is designed specifically around the raid focused PvP mode. Characters combine firearms with raid tools and arcane abilities, supporting roles such as infiltration, destruction, defence, and resource control.
While magical abilities add tactical variety, Wildlight has emphasised that Highguard remains a gun-driven experience at its core. Shooting accuracy, positioning, and team coordination remain central to success.
Mounts play a major role in traversal, allowing teams to cross large maps quickly, fight while moving, and transport the Shieldbreaker during high pressure moments.
Launch Content and Ongoing Updates
At launch, Highguard includes five large scale maps, six distinct bases, eight Wardens, three mount types, ten weapons, three raid tools, and a broad selection of mods and lootable items. Wildlight has confirmed that more content is already planned through seasonal updates.
The game’s live service structure is built around Episodes, each lasting roughly two months and split into two phases. New core content is planned to arrive monthly throughout 2026, including additional maps, bases, Wardens, weapons, mounts, and modes.
Importantly, all gameplay affecting content will remain free. Monetisation is limited to cosmetic items only, offered as direct purchases with no loot boxes or randomised rewards.
Free Rewards and Long-Term Commitment
To mark launch, all players receive the Episode One War Chest permanently for free. This includes 44 cosmetic items, such as legendary skins and emotes for Wardens, weapons, and mounts.
Wildlight is looking at Highguard as a long term project rather than a short term release, with a full year of post-launch content already in active development. The studio has framed success not purely around numbers, but around building a sustainable and engaged global player community.
Highguard is available now as a free-to-play title on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S with full cross-play support.
