The Game Awards Closer Highguard Reemerges With Launch Showcase — So Yes, It's Still Coming Out Next Week

Highguard has returned after going silent following its surprising debut at The Game Awards last month, with a launch showcase that confirms it’s truly arriving next week.

Releasing on January 26, Highguard closed The Game Awards 2025 with its debut trailer, offering fans their first glimpse of the new free-to-play PvP raid shooter from some of the minds behind Respawn’s Apex Legends and Titanfall. Players will “ride, fight, and raid as Wardens—arcane gunslingers tasked with claiming control of a legendary continent.”

Some had questioned Highguard’s fate after developer Wildlight Entertainment failed to follow up its The Game Awards reveal with additional trailers or deeper insights into its mechanics. It was widely debated whether the game deserved the prestigious closing slot at The Game Awards—the world’s biggest video game reveal event—leading to growing skepticism online. With Sony’s poorly received live-service PvP shooter Concord still lingering in memory, many have already written Highguard off as “dead on arrival.”

Here’s the official announcement for the launch showcase:

Join us on Monday, January 26 at 10am PT for an in-depth look at Highguard straight from the studio, featuring a full gameplay deep dive, year one roadmap, and more.

Wildlight appears to be aiming to mirror the explosive success of Apex Legends, which publisher EA launched in 2019 with minimal pre-release marketing but intense streamer engagement on day one. Highguard is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.