Highguard Twitch viewership is already way down

Despite many viral intrigues, Highguards Twitch viewership already seems to be dropping drastically. After being the last game to be announced at the 2025 Game Awards, many were eager to find out what Highguard was about, but interest in the new free-to-play hero shooter seems to be waning fast.

Highguard has only been out since January 26th, and it's inspired a lot of discourse across the internet. From getting reviews bombed on Steam to its servers being flooded with players eager to see what the game is all about, it's been a busy few days for developer Wildlight Entertainment. Streamers and casual fans of hero shooters have tried the game since its launch, but the downward turn in interest has become more apparent with each passing day. Earlier this week, HighguardSteam player numbers plummeted, and now it looks like Twitch viewership is quickly starting to drop as well.

Developers from other studios are defending Highguard amid widespread criticism.

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“Game development runs on optimism” Devs defend Highguard amid negative reviews

Game developers from across the industry are rushing to Highguard's defense as the hero shooter faces widespread backlash from fans and critics alike.

Highguard's Twitch viewers see a big drop in just a few days

sully gnome highguard twitch viewer data

Highguards Twitch number can be found on SullyGnome, and the data doesn't look good. The hero shooter got off to a really strong start, so the sudden decline may surprise some. In its first 24 hours, Highguard peaked at an impressive 382,943 Twitch viewers. But in just three days, that viewership has dropped to much lower numbers. When I wrote this article, Highguardpeak Twitch viewership was around 2,500 viewers. Highguards gameplay has been praised by some and derided by others. Regardless of how you look at the game, though, it's clear that there were plenty of players eager to see in-game visuals for themselves. Also with Highguard because it's free to play, it's been easy for both big streamers, like Ninja, and streamers with smaller followings to capitalize on the hype and controversy surrounding Highguard.

Highguard's Concord comparison and uncertain future

After the infamous launch of Harmony as early as 2024, the game has been used as an ongoing meme attached to any game the internet deems a failed project before the title is even released. The reason Highguard was quickly labeled as the second coming of Harmony after the announcement was due to its identity as a hero shooter. Many who have tried the game think so Highguard is a solid hero shooter, but opinions that it lacks novelty have convinced others that the game will not reach any significant heights. However, just because HighguardTwitch viewership is down for now doesn't mean it won't rise again. Being free to play gives Highguard an edge which Harmony hadn't, and developers have already announced plans for updates this year.

Wildlight Entertainment has released Highguard2026 roadmap, and it promises a lot of content. Episode 2 will launch in February, and the developer plans for seven in total. Episode 2 already aims to add Highguards content in a big way. The upcoming update will add a new Warden, Map, Ranking Mode and Mount. Every month, Highguard players will have a wealth of new content to look forward to, which can really help their players count with time. There's no way to know for sure, but strong post-launch support is important for any live service game. So, if Highguard is starting to build a reputation as a free-to-play game that does its updates well, that could really help its longevity in the long run. HighguardThe dwindling number of players and Twitch viewers are worrying, but the hero shooter isn't out of the running quite yet. The number of players and viewers goes up and down all the time, so it will be interesting to see how Highguardthe player base develops during the year.