Wildlight Entertainment laid off the majority of its staff shortly after launching its live-service raid shooter Highguard, with confirmation from a former employee on LinkedIn that a large portion of the team was let go.

The layoffs were confirmed by the company as affecting an unspecified number of Highguard developers, occurring roughly two weeks after the game’s January launch.

The studio retained a core group to continue development, even as a significant portion of the team was cut post-launch.

Public communications from Wildlight emphasize appreciation for players and the community while signaling ongoing support and innovation from the remaining team.

Analysts describe the situation as a disaster for Highguard’s prospects, given the reduced staff and fragile player base.

Highguard started as a free-to-play title with monetization through cosmetics and a battle pass, raising questions about potential refunds if servers were to shut down.

The broader context shows Highguard facing challenges in retaining and growing players to sustain ongoing development and server maintenance.

Footer links and promotional content from the source are not central to the main narrative.

The article draws a parallel to past live-service failures and the Concord 2 meme to illustrate the high stakes for Highguard’s future.

There is uncertainty about the total number of layoffs and their impact on Highguard’s development and future.

Wildlight states the layoffs won’t immediately shutter the game and reiterates commitment to innovating and supporting Highguard, though the viability of a live-service model is in question.

Wildlight’s LinkedIn previously listed up to 200 employees, indicating the potential scale of impact.