Game Maker Wildlight Lets Go of Staff After New Game Launch

Wildlight Entertainment, the company that made the new game Highguard, has let some workers go. This happened only a few weeks after the game came out. The company says a small group will keep working on the game.
By Newsroom | Gaming, Business |

Wildlight Entertainment, the developer behind the recently released multiplayer shooter Highguard, has confirmed that it has made the "incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of its team members." This announcement comes just over two weeks after the free-to-play game launched on January 26. The extent of the layoffs, including the precise number of employees affected, remains unconfirmed by the company.

Highguard was released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Despite its free-to-play model and initial presence in player engagement trackers, reports from former employees suggest that "most of the team" at Wildlight Entertainment has been let go. The company states that a core group of developers remains to continue supporting and innovating on the game.

Wildlight Entertainment confirms layoffs, unknown number of employees affected - 1

Layoffs Emerge Amidst Game's Post-Launch Period

News of the layoffs began to surface shortly after the release of Highguard. Former employees, including Alex Graner, a senior level designer, publicly shared their experiences. Graner posted on LinkedIn that he was "laid off today" and that it affected "most of the team at Wildlight."

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Wildlight Entertainment officially confirmed the workforce reduction via its X (formerly Twitter) account. The statement emphasized that the decision was difficult and that a core group would continue game development. The number of employees affected by these cuts has not been officially disclosed. Wildlight's LinkedIn profile indicated the studio had between 51-200 employees prior to the layoffs, suggesting a significant portion of its workforce may have been impacted.

Wildlight Entertainment confirms layoffs, unknown number of employees affected - 2

Player Engagement and Development Plans

Initial player engagement data for Highguard shows a notable decline following its launch. On Steam, the game reached a peak of 97,249 concurrent players on its release day. However, two weeks later, this number had dropped to 4,524 players, according to SteamDB. Mat Piscatella of Circana noted Highguard's presence in the top 10 weekly active users on US Steam and top 20 on US PlayStation and Xbox platforms in the week ending January 31, 2026, despite the subsequent sharp decrease in player counts.

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The studio had outlined a content roadmap on launch day, promising monthly updates with new items, modes, and characters throughout the year, structured into seven distinct episodes. It remains unclear how these layoffs will impact the execution of this planned content. Wildlight has stated its commitment to continued game support.

Wildlight Entertainment confirms layoffs, unknown number of employees affected - 3

Scope of Layoffs and Impact on Game Development

Reports from various sources, including IGN, Game Informer, and The Verge, suggest that "most of the staff" at Wildlight Entertainment was affected by the layoffs. These reductions appear to span multiple development disciplines, with mentions of gameplay engineers, software engineers, and UI designers.

The precise number of employees laid off is still unknown, but the language used by both former employees and the company points to a substantial reduction in force. Wildlight Entertainment has acknowledged that it is parting ways with "a number of its team members," while assuring that a core group will remain to ensure the game's ongoing development and support. The company also released lore content prior to the layoffs, indicating long-term ambitions for Highguard's world and characters.

Read More: Highguard Game Studio Lays Off Workers After Game Release

Wildlight Entertainment confirms layoffs, unknown number of employees affected - 4

Conflicting Signals: Player Data vs. Studio Ambitions

The timing of the layoffs, mere weeks after Highguard's release, presents a complex picture. Player engagement metrics, while showing an initial peak, indicate a rapid decline in concurrent players on PC. This data, juxtaposed with the studio's pre-launch statements about Highguard not requiring massive player numbers to succeed, and its published year-long content plan, raises questions about the game's commercial trajectory.

"Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game." - Wildlight Entertainment Official Statement

The confirmation of layoffs, particularly with former employees indicating that "most of the team" was impacted, stands in contrast to the studio's stated commitment to ongoing development and support. The discrepancy between the reported scale of workforce reduction and the stated intentions for the game's future warrants further observation.

Conclusion and Unanswered Questions

Wildlight Entertainment has confirmed layoffs impacting an undisclosed number of employees, occurring less than a month after the launch of its free-to-play game, Highguard. While the company states a core team remains to support the game, reports from former staff suggest a significant portion of the workforce has been let go. Player engagement data for Highguard indicates a sharp decline after an initial peak. The full impact of these workforce reductions on the game's planned content roadmap and long-term viability remains to be seen. Further official statements from Wildlight Entertainment regarding the scale of the layoffs and specific plans for Highguard's future development are anticipated.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happened at Wildlight Entertainment?
Wildlight Entertainment let some of its workers go. This happened not long after their new game, Highguard, was released.
Q: Why did this happen?
The company said it was a very hard choice. They did not say the exact reason for the layoffs.
Q: Will the game Highguard still be supported?
Yes, Wildlight Entertainment said a small group of workers will keep working on the game and making updates.
Q: How many people lost their jobs?
The company has not said how many people were let go. Some reports say many workers were affected.