Highguard has finally arrived. After a controversial reveal at The Game Awards 2025 and weeks of radio silence, Wildlight Entertainment—the studio founded by the minds behind Apex Legends and Titanfall—has officially launched its debut title today, January 26, 2026. As a free-to-play PvP raid shooter, Highguard attempts to blend the fluid, high-octane movement of its spiritual predecessors with a unique "arcane gunslinger" fantasy. But in a crowded market of free-to-play shooters in 2026, does this genre-bending experiment have what it takes to dethrone the kings? Our Highguard day one review dives into the chaos.
The Pedigree: Titanfall DNA Meets Fantasy Warfare
When Chad Grenier and the team at Wildlight Entertainment left Respawn, the industry held its breath. The expectation was another battle royale or a direct Titanfall successor. Instead, we got Highguard—a game that feels familiar yet distinctly alien. The core DNA is undeniable; the gunplay is snappy, responsive, and arguably the best-in-class for 2026. If you’ve spent thousands of hours sliding and jumping in Apex Legends, Highguard’s movement will feel like coming home, albeit with a magical twist.
Unlike the sci-fi grittiness of Highguard vs Apex Legends, Wildlight’s debut leans into a "mythic sci-fi" aesthetic. You aren't just a soldier; you are a Warden, an arcane gunslinger fighting for control over a fractured, mystical continent. The introduction of "phantom horses" for traversal adds a layer of speed and verticality that separates it from the tactical plodding of Valorant or the pure run-and-gun of Call of Duty. It’s a bold stylistic pivot that largely pays off, giving Highguard a visual identity that stands out on PC and next-gen consoles.
Highguard Gameplay Impressions: The Shieldbreaker Loop
The heart of Highguard gameplay impressions centers on its primary mode, which revolves less on simple deathmatch mechanics and more on the strategic "Shieldbreaker" objective. Matches are a tug-of-war where teams compete to secure the Shieldbreaker artifact. Once claimed, the game shifts from a scramble to a siege, where the attacking team must escort the artifact to breach the enemy base while defenders scramble to halt their advance.
This "raid shooter" structure fixes a common complaint in the genre: aimless combat. Every kill in Highguard serves a purpose. The tension of holding the Shieldbreaker while your teammates set up defensive perimeters with arcane abilities creates moments of emergent storytelling that rival the best end-game circles in battle royales. However, solo players might find this coordination demanding. The ping system is robust—borrowed and refined from Apex—but Highguard is clearly designed with coordinated fireteams in mind.
Mastering the Magic: Highguard Best Warden Classes
Instead of traditional hero abilities, Highguard uses a "Warden" system that ties magic to your loadout. While we are still dissecting the meta for our upcoming Highguard best Warden classes guide, early impressions suggest a flexible system that encourages experimentation. You aren't locked into a "healer" or "tank" role; rather, you equip arcane gauntlets that define your tactical utility.
The Assault Warden
For players who want to frag out, the aggressive configurations allow for blink-teleports and offensive fireballs that weave seamlessly between reloading your SMG. It’s visceral and fast, rewarding twitch reflexes.
The Support Warden
On the flip side, support-oriented builds focus on area denial and shielding—crucial for the "siege" phase of the match. The ability to summon temporary cover or heal allies through damage-dealing requires a level of game sense that elevates the skill ceiling beyond just aiming.
The Live Service Question: Sustainability in 2026
The launch hasn't been without its hiccups. As noted in many initial Highguard reviews, server stability on day one has been spotty, a standard affair for highly anticipated free-to-play shooters in 2026. More concerning, however, is the long-term content roadmap. The "silent marketing" strategy Wildlight employed—dropping the game with little fanfare after The Game Awards—means players are jumping in blind regarding future seasons.
For a game marketed as a "raid shooter," the variety of raid objectives at launch is thin. There are currently three main maps, and while they are intricate and vertically complex, the repetitiveness of the Shieldbreaker mode could set in quickly without rapid updates. Wildlight has promised a "Year One" roadmap in their launch showcase, but the proof will be in the delivery.
Verdict: A Magic-Infused Breath of Fresh Air
Is Highguard the new king of FPS? It’s too early to crown it, but it has certainly secured a seat at the royal table. The blend of Titanfall-tier movement with MOBA-lite ability mechanics creates a flow state that is hard to put down. For players tired of the battle royale grind, the objective-focused Highguard raid shooter guide offers a compelling, tactical alternative.
Wildlight Entertainment has successfully translated their pedigree into something fresh. If they can maintain a steady stream of content and iron out the day-one server jitters, Highguard could define the shooter landscape for the rest of the year. For now, it’s a free download that is absolutely worth your storage space.
