Wondering what The Game Awards 2025 ended on? That would be Highguard, a new first-person shooter from Wildlight Entertainment. That's a brand new studio staffed by former Respawn vets, many of which helped shape some of the best FPS games like Titanfall and Apex Legends.
Below you can find out everything we know so far about Highguard, including the first gameplay details and the release date. The good news is that if you like what you see you won't need to wait long to get your hands on Highguard, because it's coming sooner than expected.
Highguard release date
Highguard may have only been announced on December 12, 2025, the final reveal for The Game Awards 2025, but the upcoming PvP shooter is coming sooner than you might think. In fact, Wildlight Entertainment has confirmed that the Highguard release date is set for January 26, 2026, where it will land as a full, free-to-play release – no early access here!
Highguard platforms
When Highguard lands on January 26, it'll be available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Developer Wildlight Entertainment has confirmed that Highguard will land with full cross-play and cross-platform support, meaning that you can dive into this FPS online with your friends across all available platforms from day one.
Highguard trailer
The first Highguard trailer landed at The Game Awards 2025, where Geoff Keighley positioned the PvP shooter as the final reveal of the night. It's a huge vote of confidence from the show's producer, and you can view the first gameplay trailer above to see why!
Highguard gameplay
Highguard is a PvP first-person shooter where you assume the role of a Warden, an "arcane gunslinger sent to fight for control of a mythical continent." Highguard has two key components that set it apart from shooters like Apex Legends, Valorant, and other fast-paced arena shooters which this appears on the surface to share so much DNA with. The first is that initial stages of combat have you engaging in direct combat with rival Warden crews, pushing to gain control of the 'Shieldbreaker'.
Once the Shieldbreaker is in your possession, the shape of the game changes. It's here where Highguard introduces its 'raid' elements, pushing your crew to break into and destroy an enemy base to secure their territory. It's a neat concept, and certainly adds a new wrinkle to the FPS genre for anybody growing a little tired of traditional battle royales and hero shooters.
Outside of this unique setup, you can expect a blend of futuristic weapons and medieval-looking mounts/vehicles, an array of powers to wield, and a degree of destructibility to the environments. There's still a lot we need to learn, but thankfully we don't have long to wait now – with Highguard landing in January 2026.
Highguard development
Highguard is the debut game from Wildlight Entertainment, a studio founded in 2021 by former Respawn Entertainment veterans who worked across the likes of Apex Legends and Titanfall. The studio has been quietly working on Highguard for the last four years, revealing the title at The Game Awards 2025.
For more information on new releases, you can check out our guides on all the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games on the way.
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