Highguard reveals a brand new game mode and gameplay changes

Wildlight Entertainment has announced a brand new update for Highguard which provides a game mode, weapon tweaks and gameplay changes. It has been a turbulent time for Highguard since its release on January 26, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. With industry veterans from franchise companies such as Call of Duty and Apex Legends during the development of the shooter, there was enormous pressure on it to deliver and become another standout hit.

Unfortunately, Highguard has not met those expectations yet. While player numbers increased after launch, largely because the game was free to play and people were curious, the title couldn't sustain its momentum. Many in the community thought the shooter was just another live service game that didn't bring anything unique to the table. Things took a turn for the worse when the layoffs hit Highguard team less than a month after launch. The studio had big post-launch plans for the game, but it seemed like they would never come to fruition. However, Wildlight Entertainment hasn't given up on the game yet.

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Highguard confirms new content update coming this week, despite speculation of an impending shutdown

Highguard developer Wildlight Entertainment confirms that a new update is coming later this week, with new content for players to check out.

Wildlight Entertainment announces a brand new Highguard update

Over on Twitter, the official Highguard account has revealed a brand new update for the game, which is set to go live on February 26, 2026. The centerpiece of this patch is the Raid Rush Mode, which has been designed for fast-paced matches. Here, two teams of five players will alternate between attacking and defending their bases, without any sort of looting phase between rounds. Players must also use Trader Flynn to upgrade their weapons and equipment. At the end of each round, teams must alternate between attacking and defending, while their base walls and generators will reset. Players will be able to earn Vespers which can be spent at the merchant for unique items. Every player in the match will start with the same armor, and its rarity will scale up as the round progresses.

The Highguard the update also includes quality of life changes. For example, a new Comeback Kill mechanic has been added, which rewards players with Vesper after going on a kill streak of three or more eliminations. The developers have also decided to tweak the Reviver Amulet, reducing its bonus revive rate from 50% to 15%. Smugger's Den has also seen new respawn points. This patch marks one of several updates released for Highguard in February 2026.

Alongside these changes, the update also comes with balance changes for various weapons Highguard. The Dynasty has been buffed with increased damage, the Longhorn has received a rate of fire increase, the Longhorn (Repeater) has improved hipfire accuracy, and the Corsair has seen a reduction in the delay before the recoil pattern is reset. On the nerf side, the Vanguard has taken a hit to its accuracy and controllability, while the Viper has also had reduced controllability when using the 2x optic. Wildlight Entertainment has also fixed several bugs in Highguard with this patch, which includes things like the wall geometry issue on the Belltower in the kingdom, and the shooting range base is short.

If this update will be enough to revive Highguardthe number of players remains to be seen. However, it is reassuring to see that Wildlight Entertainment has not abandoned the title and continues to roll out new updates and patches to improve the overall gaming experience. The gaming industry has seen titles such as Harmony to be shelved within weeks without much effort to improve them, so this level of support is a refreshing change. It will be interesting to see how Highguard evolves when the next major update arrives in March 2026, bringing a brand new base type and raid tool.