Fans of the new free-to-play shooter Highguard are celebrating after developer Wildlight Entertainment confirmed that the 5v5 Raid mode will remain a permanent feature in the game. This decision follows a weekend of testing that revealed a nearly equal player preference between the existing 3v3 competitive mode and the newly introduced 5v5 option.
Community Feedback Drives Developer Decision
In an official announcement on social media platform X, the Highguard account stated, "You've been asking, and we're happy to share—5v5 Raid Mode is here to stay! We appreciate everyone hopping in over the weekend to give the mode a try. We saw a fairly even split between 3v3 and 5v5, which helped inform our decision."
The swift addition of the 5v5 mode came as a response to early criticism about matches feeling somewhat empty during the initial phases of gameplay. With expansive open spaces to explore at the start of rounds, some players found the experience lacking in immediate action. Wildlight Entertainment moved quickly to address these concerns by introducing the temporary 5v5 mode, which has now been granted permanent status based on player engagement data.
Player Reactions and Community Sentiment
The Highguard subreddit has been buzzing with positive reactions to the announcement. One enthusiastic fan posted, "5v5 is permanent everyone!!! I’m so happy right now!" while another commented, "Huge W. Now as a 5v5 enjoyer keep comp 3v3 and we’re set. 5v5 is for casual players (like me) who want a lot of action. 3v3 is the tactical side."
Several players have praised the development team's responsiveness to community feedback. One particularly impressed gamer noted, "This is genuinely super impressive. The devs ability to keep the finger on the pulse of the community and make changes accordingly and quickly is something you just don't see in the industry these days."
Launch Challenges and Recovery
Highguard's launch last week encountered some initial difficulties, including a wave of negative Steam reviews that temporarily pushed the game's rating to 'Overwhelmingly Negative.' Many of these critical reviews came from players with only about an hour of gameplay time, suggesting possible review bombing during the title's rocky start.
The game has since managed to recover to a 'Mixed' rating on Steam, indicating gradual improvement in player perception. Player numbers tell a similar story of stabilization after initial volatility. During the first few hours of launch, Highguard peaked at nearly 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, but this has since settled to a daily peak of approximately 10,000 players over the past week.
Future Development and Live Service Plans
Despite the game currently feeling somewhat barebones to some players, Wildlight Entertainment has a full year of live service content already planned. The developer has previously indicated that while player numbers aren't their primary concern, they do need a sustainable player base to justify their ongoing development efforts.
Highguard represents the first major project from Wildlight Entertainment, a studio founded by former developers from Titanfall and Apex Legends teams. The free-to-play shooter is available across multiple platforms including PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
The decision to make the 5v5 mode permanent demonstrates the studio's commitment to listening to player feedback and adapting their game accordingly during this crucial launch period. As the community continues to grow and provide input, further adjustments and improvements to the Highguard experience are likely to follow throughout the coming year of planned content updates.
