Highguard
News, coverage and analysis tracking Highguard across the outlets.
PlayStation – and The Gaming Industry – Just Doesn’t Learn With Live-ServiceDespite numerous high-profile failures and significant layoffs within studios like Bungie and Quantic Dream, Sony Interactive Entertainment, led by Hideaki Nishino, remains committed to pursuing live-service games. This strategy is questioned due to past setbacks and the company's historical strength in single-player titles, with concerns that chasing trends is leading to wasted investment and development resources.
PlayStation’s Marathon Bet Looks Like It’s Already BackfiringMarathon, Bungie's extraction shooter, is struggling to maintain player numbers on Steam despite a recent season update and a free week, falling significantly from its launch peak. The game's high development cost, estimated at $200-250 million, coupled with Sony's reported $765 million in impairment losses related to Bungie's portfolio, suggests significant financial pressure. The article questions the viability of Marathon as a live-service title given its hardcore PvP focus and the market saturation, especially after Destiny 2's end of support.- Perfect Ten: The online game sunsets of 2026 to dateThis article lists ten online games, primarily MMORPGs, that have experienced significant end-of-life milestones or full sunsets in 2026. It highlights titles like Occupy White Walls, Destiny 2, and Horizon Worlds, discussing their unique aspects, reasons for closure, and the broader implications for the gaming industry, particularly concerning business models and player engagement.
Talking Point: Sony, Don't Re-Reveal Fairgames at the Next State of PlayThis article advises Sony against reintroducing the live service game Fairgames at its upcoming State of Play livestream, suggesting it would be poorly received by the enthusiast audience. The author argues that the PlayStation fanbase is currently resistant to live service titles, citing negative reactions to Horizon Hunters Gathering and Highguard. Instead, Sony should consider a separate, less prominent reveal for Fairgames to give it a better chance of success, focusing on more anticipated single-player titles during the State of Play.
Live Service Game The Cube, Save Us Dies After Just Three Weeks | HappyGamerThe live service game 'The Cube, Save Us' has shut down after only three weeks, highlighting the rapid failures within the genre. This extraction/battle royale hybrid joins other titles like Concord and Highguard in a trend of short-lived online experiences. The article reflects on the saturation of the battle royale market and the challenges live service games face in building sustainable player bases and communities.
'It's really hard to succeed every time' says PUBG director on failure of games like Concord and…PUBG: Battlegrounds director Taeseok Jang acknowledges the difficulty of achieving success with live-service games, citing recent failures like Concord and Highguard. He views these setbacks as valuable learning opportunities for developers to avoid repeating mistakes. Despite Jang's perspective, PUBG Corporation itself experienced a short-lived live-service title with PUBG: Blindspot.
'A real concern for millions and probably hundreds of millions of European citizens' - Stop Killing Games has its day in European Parliament and it seems to go very wellThe initiative Stop Killing Games presented its case for regulation in the European Parliament to address the issue of video games becoming unplayable after sale due to discontinued services. The hearing, which garnered over 1 million European citizen signatures, highlighted concerns about consumer rights and the permanent disabling of sold games, with officials pledging to investigate copyright regulations and potential solutions. Founder Ross Scott emphasized that this practice, exemplified by games like The Crew, results in consumers losing access to products they have paid for without adequate recourse.- Vague Patch Notes: No, ‘foreigners’ are not coming for the American games industryThis article critiques the notion that Asian game developers are poised to overtake the American industry due to their embrace of generative AI. It argues that many Asian companies struggle to penetrate Western markets and that the real issues facing the industry include over-reliance on single titles, fixation on graphics, studio cannibalization, and poor working conditions, rather than external threats.
- Snabbkollen – Spelar du något live-service-spel?This article discusses the live service game model, where companies like Epic Games aim for long-term revenue through free-to-play or initial purchase games. Examples of successful titles include Helldivers 2 and Sea of Thieves, while others like Marvel's Avengers have failed. The piece questions players about their current or past engagement with live service games.
Former Escape From Tarkov dev says "no amount of millions of dollars can save a weak product"Dmitri Ogorodnikov, co-head of Nomion Games and former developer at Battlestate Games, emphasizes that a game's quality is paramount, stating that marketing cannot save a weak product. He highlights the challenges in the current shooter market, citing examples like Concord and Highguard, and outlines Nomion's strategy for their upcoming game, Rush is Real, to focus on gameplay quality and unique ideas rather than market trends.
PUBG Dev On Highguard And Concord Struggles: It's "Really Hard To Succeed Every Time"PUBG franchise director Taeseok Jang reflected on the challenges of live-service games, citing the failures of Concord and Highguard as learning experiences. He emphasized the importance of rapid prototyping and community feedback, drawing lessons from PUBG: Blindspot's short early-access period. PUBG Studios plans to expand the PUBG franchise by adding new modes, including a Payday collaboration with Starbreeze, and exploring user-generated content.
PUBG boss was "sad" to see Concord and Highguard get shut down, but hopes to learn from their mistakesTaeseok Jang, IP franchise director for PUBG at Krafton, expressed sadness over the shutdowns of multiplayer games like Concord and Highguard, noting the inherent difficulty in developing successful multiplayer titles. He highlighted lessons learned from community messaging and the challenges of early access, referencing the short lifespan of PUBG: Blindspot.- News ArchivesThis article provides a weekly roundup of new video game releases throughout early 2026 and late 2025. It highlights popular titles such as Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Crimson Desert, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
- Massively Overthinking: Should gamers shut up about MMOs they don’t play?Former Blizzard developer Jeff Kaplan stated that gamers should refrain from commenting on games they have not played, a sentiment echoed by some and debated by others. While some agree that uninformed criticism is detrimental, others argue that feedback from non-players can still be valuable for game development and community discourse.
- 2026 video game release date calendarThis article provides a comprehensive calendar of video game releases scheduled for 2026, including specific dates for titles like Grand Theft Auto 6 in November and early year releases such as Resident Evil Requiem. It details monthly releases across various platforms and lists notable titles with TBD release dates, promising to be updated as new information becomes available.
After leaving Respawn to work on Highguard, a former Apex Legends developer has been rehired by EAFormer Apex Legends developer Derek Bentley has been rehired by Respawn Entertainment at EA after his previous studio, Wildlight Entertainment, shut down its hero shooter Highguard. Bentley will return as a principal environment artist for Apex Legends. This news comes as Apex Legends prepares to end its season updates on the Nintendo Switch.
PC Gamer magazine's new issue is on sale now: Star Wars Zero CompanyPC Gamer's latest issue features an exclusive preview of Star Wars Zero Company, a new XCOM-style turn-based tactics game from developer Bit Reactor. The magazine also includes reviews for Resident Evil Requiem and other titles, a feature on PC gaming's best pubs, and previews for Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy.- Stop Killing Games organizers say EU commission meeting ‘went fine’ but admit to uphill battlesOrganizers from the Stop Killing Games movement reported a 'fine' but challenging meeting with the European Union commission regarding game preservation. While some officials were supportive, others raised legal concerns about limiting companies' ability to remove purchased games. The campaign emphasizes that this is a consumer rights issue, not just about playing old games, and highlights the importance of preserving digital art.
"The thing we are trying to stop keeps happening": Highguard and other high-profile demises keep making the argument for Stop Killing GamesThe Stop Killing Games campaign highlights the ongoing issue of online-only games being shut down, using examples like Highguard and Wildlight to advocate for better game preservation. Campaign spokesperson Josh Hayes notes that the regular demise of popular titles, even those with significant artistic value, helps keep the issue in the public consciousness and encourages support for their efforts to prevent such losses.- "It's all of us against apathy, entropy, and loss of art" - Stop Killing Games has reached the EU Parliament, but what happens now?The 'Stop Killing Games' initiative has presented its case to the European Parliament, advocating for end-of-life policies for video games to ensure their continued accessibility after server shutdowns. While initially met with a lack of understanding regarding modern gaming, the movement successfully framed the issue as a consumer rights problem, gaining bipartisan support. The initiative aims to preserve games as cultural artifacts, facing challenges in maintaining long-term political engagement against industry interests and the constant emergence of new game closures.