A new shooter from the creators of Apex Legends, Highguard, will be released in January 2026. Everything you need to know about it can be found here.
When will Highguard be released? Highguard is expected to be released on January 26, 2026.
What time can I start? According to the Steam page, you can start around 7:00 PM CET.
What kind of game is Highguard? Highguard is a free-to-play PvP raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment. In the game, players take on the role of Wardens, who fight as arcane gunslingers, blending futuristic firearms and magic.
The central goal of matches is to capture the Shieldbreaker to destroy the opposing team’s base and secure loot. The gameplay focuses heavily on tactical teamwork and high mobility through the use of mounts in an open world.
Behind the title are former developers from Apex Legends and Titanfall, who aim to establish a new subgenre in competitive shooters with this game. So far, the developers have not revealed many details about their game. What is known, you can find out here.
You can see the trailer here:
All about platforms, price, and crossplay
How much does Highguard cost? Highguard is free-to-play, so you can dive into the new shooter without any cost.
On which platforms can you play Highguard? At release, Highguard will be available on PC via Steam, on PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Is crossplay supported? Yes, you can play with players from all platforms right at launch.
Is there cross-progression? Yes, you can seamlessly switch from PC to console and use the same account. Your progress will sync if you have linked your accounts.
What are the system requirements for PC? Your PC should meet the following requirements if you want to play Highguard:
Minimum requirements
- Operating System: Windows 10 (64-Bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen R5 1600
- Memory (RAM): 8 GB RAM
- Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 25 GB available storage (SSD recommended)
Recommended requirements
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core i5-9600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Memory (RAM): 12 GB RAM
- Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 8 GB / AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT 8 GB
- Network: Broadband internet connection
- Storage: 25 GB available storage (NVMe SSD recommended)
All about the gameplay
How many players fight against each other in the matches? This is currently unclear. Observations from the trailer and comparisons to Apex Legends suggest squads of 3-4 players. The number of teams present on the map at the same time is also unknown.
How do the rounds proceed? There are no detailed official statements on this yet. According to current information, the rounds are expected to proceed as follows:
- Teams start in squads and use their mounts to position themselves tactically on the map and gather equipment.
- The combat centers around capturing the Shieldbreaker, a massive, mobile siege machine.
- The team that controls the machine must escort it to the opposing fortress, while the others try to stop it.
- Once at the target, the Shieldbreaker destroys the base defenses, allowing the attackers to breach and steal the loot for victory.
How many heroes (Wardens) are there to choose from? There is currently no official statement on this. However, the gameplay trailer suggests at least 8 different archetypes (the names are not official and are for categorization and illustration):
- The Shooter uses revolvers and arcane magic as a classic mobile damage dealer.
- The Ice Warden can create walls and transform into a powerful Minotaur for melee combat in their ultimate.
- The Pathfinder can make walls permeable or dissolve them to create new attack paths.
- The Spear Fighter hovers over the battlefield and attacks with magical projectiles from the air.
- The Hammer Carrier specializes in area damage and can create cracks in the ground.
- The Dark Mage uses dark energy or tentacles, presumably for crowd control.
- The Scout has a bird-like ability that likely serves for reconnaissance.
- The Supporter acts as a healer, capable of supporting or reviving allies with spheres.
It remains to be seen whether the characters shown in the trailer are representative and if they will remain in the game.
Are there mounts? Yes, the trailer also showed mounts like horses and bears.
More about what has been learned from the trailer can be found here: On Monday, a free shooter from the developers behind Titanfall 2 – What we know so far. Additionally, on January 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM CET, there will be a release stream that will provide deep insights into the gameplay.
Highguard was first introduced at the 2025 Game Awards and showcased in the trailer. In the GameStar Talk, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski and GameStar editor-in-chief Heiko Klinge talked with the hosts about the trailers shown and ranked them in a tier list: The trailers of the Game Awards in the GameStar Talk with MeinMMO: Which game makes it to rank S of the tier list?
