### Highguard: Uncertainty Surrounds the Future of the Game
Highguard, an upcoming shooter from developer Wildlight, finds itself in a precarious situation reminiscent of Schrödinger’s cat, caught between existence and non-existence. The game’s official website currently displays nothing but its logo and a message stating, “This site is currently unavailable. Please contact [email protected] for assistance.” This message has persisted for several hours without explanation, leaving fans and players speculating about the game’s status. The situation remains ambiguous, as there has been no communication from Wildlight regarding the outage.
This uncertainty comes on the heels of a troubling development: the recent layoffs within the Wildlight team, which reportedly let go most of its staff. While the website’s downtime does not confirm the game’s cancellation, it certainly raises concerns. The silence from both the game’s Discord server and social media channels exacerbates worries about Highguard’s future and whether it is facing inevitable closure.
Adding another layer to the intrigue, a report from Game File has revealed that Highguard was predominantly funded by Tencent, a significant player in the gaming industry. This revelation contradicts Wildlight’s previous claims of operating as an independent studio. The awareness of Tencent’s involvement evokes a mix of frustration and disappointment, especially considering the challenges that independent developers face in a rapidly changing industry.
The framing of Wildlight as an indie studio has been contentious, especially given its size prior to the layoffs, which exceeded 100 employees. Many were surprised to learn of Tencent’s backing, which raises questions about the management’s understanding of industry dynamics and their plans to replicate past successes without acknowledging current trends.
As the gaming community watches closely, the hope remains for those affected by the layoffs to find new opportunities. Whether Highguard will eventually emerge from this state of uncertainty is yet to be seen, but the current situation leaves both fans and industry insiders questioning the viability of the project and the fate of its once-promising studio.
