Highguard developer Wildlight Entertainment has announced that its recently released 5v5 mode will be a permanent addition in response to community feedback.
First introduced as a limited-time mode, the decision was made after observing that almost half of the player base had moved over from the classic 3v3 format. The update is the developer’s latest effort in shifting player sentiments surrounding Highguard after a hectic global launch just a week prior.
The new mode has been received positively by players and critics alike since its inclusion. For many, it has addressed one of the most common criticisms regarding the game’s pace, which previously suffered due to the small lobbies and large maps.
However, the 5v5 mode comes with several tweaks. According to a post by Highguard socials, Raids will feature 10 lives instead of six, and respawns have been delayed further. Additionally, developers warned that 5v5 may worsen the game’s performance, which has been a criticism from the community.
Only time will tell whether the inclusion of 5v5 will be enough to keep players on board to see out the rest of Highguard’s live service plan, and whether it can sway other players to return to the game after a chaotic launch.
The State of Highguard After Launch
Highguard has undergone a tumultuous journey since it was first revealed at The Game Awards. After weeks of silence, the game was shadow-dropped, a gamble that has been met with mixed responses from players based on the state of the game.
According to data platform Steamdb, the 24-hour peak of concurrent player counts has reached over 8,400 as of writing. This is less than 10% of its all-time peak of over 97,200 players back when the game first launched on January 26th, 2026. It is important to note that this only considers the PC population on Steam, and does not include console numbers.
It has fallen to underwhelming numbers in comparison to other live-service shooters like the developers’ former project Apex Legends, a title that recently reached a 24-hour peak of over 158,200 players. As such, many players have questioned whether Highguard can be considered a success.
On the other hand, the review score on Steam has improved from overwhelmingly negative to mixed in the span of a week, with more recent positive reviews highlighting the addition of 5v5.
An abundance of updates and content is planned for Highguard in 2026, highlighting ambitions from Widlight Entertainment to keep its debut game afloat in the long run.
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