Highguard launches free-to-play on Xbox Sequence X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, mixing PvP gunplay, mounted fight, and large-scale base raids.
In case you’re after one thing slightly totally different from the standard PvP shooter system, Highguard may be price saddling up for.
Obtainable proper now on Xbox Sequence X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5, this new free-to-play PvP raid shooter blends mounted fight, destructible bases, and escalating sieges right into a format that feels genuinely recent.
Better of all? There’s no barrier to entry. Highguard is free to obtain and free to play, with full cross-play help throughout all platforms.
A PvP Shooter Constructed Round Raids, Not Rounds
At its coronary heart, Highguard is about momentum. Every match sees two groups of three Wardens dropped into an enormous legendary panorama, every calling in and fortifying their very own stronghold earlier than driving out into the world.
From there, the loop escalates quick. Loot is gathered, sources are harvested, weapons are upgraded, and clashes with the rival group change into inevitable. Not like conventional shooters, there’s no clear reset between skirmishes – energy builds, stress mounts, and each determination feeds into what comes subsequent.
Wardens, Mounts And Arcane Firepower
Gamers select from a rising roster of Wardens – arcane gunslingers who mix conventional gunplay with magical skills pulled from a fading age of magic. Every Warden is designed round particular roles, whether or not that’s base defence, open-field fight, infiltration, or full-scale raiding.
Talents aren’t simply flashy extras both. They’re woven immediately into Highguard’s methods, influencing the way you battle, the way you raid, and the way you survive when the stress ramps up.
Motion is simply as vital as taking pictures. Mounts permit groups to cross large maps shortly, battle whereas on the transfer, and transport vital aims. Saddles, armour, and magical trinkets can all be upgraded, giving your journey simply as a lot character – and usefulness – as your weapons.
The Shieldbreaker Adjustments Every little thing
From time to time, magical storms tear throughout the continent. At their coronary heart kinds the Shieldbreaker, a legendary blade able to breaching enemy base shields.
As soon as it seems, priorities shift immediately. Groups race to say it, battle to maintain maintain of it, after which try the harmful journey to the enemy base. Lose the service, and the tide can flip in seconds, with the Shieldbreaker falling straight into enemy palms.
Delivering the Shieldbreaker to an enemy base permits attackers to weaken its shields and summon a Siege Tower. As soon as these shields fall, the true raid begins.
Attackers should push inside, planting bombs on mills or going all-in on the anchor stone to carry the bottom down in a single decisive strike. Defenders, in the meantime, scramble to repel attackers lengthy sufficient for shields to restore and the siege to break down.
One Base Left Standing
Victory not often comes from a single raid. Extra usually, bases restore, loot improves throughout the map, and a brand new Shieldbreaker kinds elsewhere. Every cycle ramps up stress, energy, and chaos – till just one base stays standing and management of the territory is determined.
Highguard isn’t simply launching and hoping for the most effective. Wildlight Leisure has dedicated to a live-service construction constructed round Episodes, with new core content material arriving month-to-month all through 2026. And with the group consisting of veterans from the likes of Titanfall, Apex Legends and extra, it looks like they most likely know what they’re speaking about.
Crucially, all gameplay content material – together with maps, Wardens, bases, and modes – will at all times be free. Monetisation comes through non-compulsory beauty purchases, together with Highguard Gold packs, with no gameplay benefits, no loot bins, and no RNG methods. You’ll discover loads of these packs on the Xbox Retailer, operating from £7.49 for 900 Highguard Gold, proper as much as 11800 Gold for £83.49.
All gamers additionally obtain the Episode One Warfare Chest free ceaselessly, filled with cosmetics, legendary skins, and emotes proper from the off.
“Launch is a large second. However our group builds franchises that stand the check of time, and we’re on this for the lengthy haul,” mentioned Dusty Welch, Co-Founder and CEO of Wildlight. “Success for us is a wholesome, rising international group that’s having fun with the sport—and a group that’s energized by partaking with gamers and stunning them with new experiences over time.”
Key Options At A Look
Free-to-play PvP raid shooter with full cross-play
3v3 team-based matches with escalating energy and stress
Destructible bases, siege towers, and enormous open maps
Mounted fight blended with tight, gun-focused taking pictures
Arcane skills that improve raiding, defence, and infiltration
Ongoing Episodes delivering free new content material each month
A Assured Begin For A New PvP Universe
Highguard doesn’t really feel prefer it’s chasing developments. As an alternative, it leans into escalation, territory management, and long-form matches that reward coordination and good decision-making. With a veteran group behind it and a genuinely accessible free-to-play mannequin, it’s a launch that feels assured somewhat than cautious.
In case you’ve been ready for a shooter that dares to do issues a bit otherwise, this one may be price driving into.
The Xbox Retailer will kind you out with a obtain. You’ll discover it on PC and PlayStation too.
