Highguard Episode 2 Release Date and Launch Time Confirmed
Wildlight, the developer behind the popular game Highguard, has announced a substantial new content update, titled Episode 2, set to release on February 6 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. This update arrives less than two weeks after the game's initial launch, surprising fans with its rapid deployment.
Based on previous update patterns and the original game's launch schedule, the download is estimated to go live at 6pm GMT. For players in other regions, this translates to 10am PT or 1pm ET in the United States, and 7pm CET across Europe.
New Content and Features in Highguard Episode 2
The headline addition in Episode 2 is a brand-new character named Ekon, described as a legendary monster-slayer with the ability to shapeshift into a powerful direwolf for tracking and hunting prey. Ekon's abilities include a Passive called Dread, which reveals the heartbeats of wounded enemies, a spirit wolf attack to inflict Dread, and an Ultimate that applies Dread to all adversaries.
Alongside Ekon, players will gain access to the new Skydrift map, available in both 3v3 and 5v5 modes. Wildlight describes Skydrift as featuring hollowed-out caverns, ancient stone rings for combat, colossal chain bridges, and Sky Jumpers leading to a palace above the clouds.
Furthermore, Episode 2 introduces an ultra-competitive Ranked Mode, initially supported only in 3v3 modes. This addition aims to enhance the competitive landscape for dedicated players.
Gameplay Tweaks and Technical Updates
Wildlight has implemented various gameplay adjustments and bug fixes in this update. Key changes include modifications to the Gear phase, with improvements such as better POI loot, Waypoint Markers, and Speed Gates to streamline player experience.
Technical enhancements focus on performance optimisations, including updates to player replication, movement netcode, and siege tower rendering. Support for NVIDIA Reflex has been added on compatible systems, and several optimisations have been applied to reduce bandwidth usage.
Detailed Patch Notes for Highguard Episode 2
Stats 1.0: A new Stats menu has been added to Headwall, tracking mostly retroactive data from Episode 1. New stats for Raid Attack and Defense success are introduced, with plans to expand this feature in future updates.
New Orange Weapon Mods: Variety is increased with new mods without removing existing ones. The Saber Rifle gains Impact Rounds for increased critical damage and faster projectile speed, the Vanguard receives a Drum Magazine for a larger magazine with slower reload, and the Corsair is equipped with Doubleshot for a 12-round burst per trigger pull.
Gameplay Updates: Significant adjustments include reducing the Defensive Phase from 60 to 30 seconds, increasing Anchor Stones fuse timers to 80 seconds, and adding Kills and Assists to the HUD. Zipline usability has been improved, with a maximum limit of 4 ziplines per player. Other updates involve mantle feel enhancements, prompts for low ammo on BigRig, and changes to revival mechanics where players must manually emote to say "Thank You."
Lobby and Menu Updates: Quality-of-life improvements include options to leave parties via social cards, confirmation messages for friend requests, and the ability to unblock players in the Social tab. Settings menus now allow numeric input for slider bars and highlight button changes when adjusting controller profiles.
Overall, Highguard Episode 2 delivers a robust package of new content and refinements, poised to engage both new and returning players with its expanded features and polished gameplay.
