Highguard Developer Attributes Failure to Player ‘Slander’

Josh Sobel, a technical artist and rigger recently caught in the wave of layoffs at Wildlight Entertainment, has shared a candid and somber reflection on the launch of Highguard. In a series of posts shared on X, Sobel detailed the emotional whiplash of transitioning from a highly anticipated reveal to a volatile public reception.

“The countdown to The Game Awards 2025 was one of the most exhilarating periods of my career,” Sobel admitted. “After pouring two and a half years of passion into Highguard, we were finally ready to showcase our work. At that moment, the future looked incredibly promising.”

However, that optimism was short-lived. Despite positive internal feedback and a lack of red flags prior to the reveal, the public’s reaction took a dark turn. Sobel described how the reveal trailer was immediately “dogpiled” by hostile viewers. The situation escalated into personal harassment, with Sobel being labeled a “coward” by various content creators after he set his social media profile to private to escape the deluge of hate.

The developer’s post specifically critiques the speed at which Highguard was dismissed by the gaming community. He noted that the project was branded “dead on arrival” within minutes of its debut. This sentiment translated into tangible sabotage at launch: the game was hit with over 14,000 review bombs from users who had barely touched the game, many of whom hadn’t even finished the mandatory tutorial.

“In the broader discourse surrounding titles like Highguard, Concord, or 2XKO, there is a common narrative that developers shouldn’t blame the community for a project’s failure—as if players lack influence,” Sobel wrote. “But they possess immense power. While I’m not claiming our struggles were solely due to toxic gamer culture, the negative narrative played a massive role. All products are subject to consumer whims, and in this case, consumers put significant effort into dismantling Highguard‘s reputation. And they succeeded.”

Image: Wildlight Entertainment

Sobel concluded by warning that such hostility places industry “innovation on life support.” He argued that developers will be increasingly hesitant to leave the security of AAA “golden handcuffs” to pursue independent multiplayer ventures if the community refuses to give new studios a fair shake.

“Our independent, developer-led studio deserved more than to have its collapse celebrated,” he lamented. “We deserved the simple decency of not having our downfall gleefully orchestrated by the public.”

While Highguard enjoyed a massive debut in late January—peaking at nearly 100,000 concurrent players on Steam—that momentum has vanished. Current player metrics show the active base has dwindled to less than 3% of its peak and continues to slide. The game’s trajectory raises serious questions about the viability of the free-to-play model in a saturated market.

In our own assessment of Highguard, we noted that the game suffered from “unrealized potential.” While the core mechanics provided a sturdy foundation, the experience clearly required more refinement and polish before being subjected to the scrutiny of a live audience.

Source: Polygon