High-profile developers rally behind Highguard amid harsh launch criticism: “The harsh words do real damage”
Performance issues and harsh reactions prompt industry leaders to call for restraint.
The launch of Highguard, the ambitious free-to-play “PvP raid shooter” from Wildlight Entertainment, has become a flashpoint for a larger conversation within the video game industry. Despite hitting an impressive peak of over 97,000 concurrent players on Steam during its January 26 debut, the game was immediately met with a “Mostly Negative” user rating. Critics and players alike pointed toward performance issues and a perceived lack of polish, while others questioned its placement as the surprise “one more thing” reveal at the end of last month’s The Game Awards.
A Call for Respect in Game Criticism
Amidst the digital vitriol, several high-profile developers have stepped forward to support the team at Wildlight. Swen Vincke, CEO of Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3), took to social media to express his concern over the current state of game discourse. Vincke emphasized that putting a creative work into the world makes developers vulnerable, and that effort alone deserves respect. He suggested that critics should exercise more restraint, noting that “harsh words do real damage” and can lead to sensitive creators losing their idealism and love for the community.
I don’t like people shitting on things others have created. Putting something out into the world makes you vulnerable, and that alone deserves respect, even if you dislike the creation. It’s easy to destroy things, it’s a lot harder to build them. The best critics understand…
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) January 27, 2026
Joining the defense were industry veterans like Cliff Bleszinski, and Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. Rein described the online “hatred” toward a free game from a new studio as “downright horrible,” urging the community to approach gaming with joy rather than hostility. Bleszinski, known for the Gears of War series, questioned when it became “trendy” to hate on new releases, describing the constant negativity as exhausting for those who build these experiences.
When did it become trendy to hate on a new game?
— Cliff Bleszinski (@therealcliffyb) January 27, 2026
Been seeing it more and more in recent years.
It's exhausting.
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Even from our first impressions, we reflected from the outset on something that was foreseeable even before the game was released. “In an industry where entertainment is full of sequels, and although it demands something new, any original idea faces an uphill battle,” our preview began.
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