The promise and peril of a new online shooter | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.The promise and peril of a new online shooterComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...EntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReportThe promise and peril of a new online shooterHighguard won’t be the next Fortnite, but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.Highguard won’t be the next Fortnite, but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.by Andrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterSenior entertainment editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew WebsterJan 27, 2026, 5:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: Wildlight EntertainmentAndrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew Webster is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.The routine is familiar by now. A new online shooter with bright, colorful graphics launches and rockets up the charts despite the fact that you maybe haven’t even heard of it. Or maybe it just has a really forgettable name. But everyone seems to be talking about it, and it’s free, so you figure you may as well jump in. This moment of promise and anticipation may end up being the best this game will ever be — and there’s a good chance that feeling won’t last long.I could be describing any number of games, but the most recent example is Highguard, which just launched on the PS5, Xbox, and Steam. The 3v3 shooter is the first release from Wildlight Entertainment, a new studio made up of veterans from Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Call of Duty. That pedigree is enough to pay some attention to the game, which was originally revealed as the final announcement at The Game Awards last month. But it’s also doing some interesting things. The developers call it a “raid shooter,” but I’ve found it easiest to understand as a sort of first-person shooter take on a MOBA like League of Legends; each team has a base, and your job is to balance getting improved gear, protecting your own base, and completing various objectives to take down your enemies’ HQ. Also, you can ride a bear.It’s a complicated setup, and after a few matches I’m not entirely convinced I fully understand the flow of matches, which could be a problem for wider adoption. It’s certainly not as pick-up-and-play as something like Fortnite. Though as you’d expect from people who worked on Titanfall, the action feels great, with excellent gunplay and smooth movement. It’s also a hero shooter, so you pick from characters with Overwatch-style ultimate powers that can let you quickly turn a battle in your favor, or smash through your opponents’ defenses. They can be a lot of fun when you pull them off properly.When you’re in the midst of a tight skirmish, defending your teammates while they try to defuse a bomb, the appeal of Highguard is apparent. At its best it’s fast and tense and forces you to be decisive. But its complex nature also means that things can feel a little strange and messy. For one thing, the team sizes are small yet the maps are large, and so you spend a good chunk of each match wandering around a mostly empty level searching for chests to improve your armor or find a better gun. You do have a mount to speed this up, but even still, I’ve found the early portions of matches to be incredibly slow and not very exciting.As the ill-fated Concord showed, the most important thing for a new online shooter is what it does differently, although even that isn’t a guarantee of success. But you need a hook to compete in a space with such established players as Fortnite, Counter-Strike, and the annualized behemoth that is Call of Duty. Battlefield 6 managed to break through with sheer force of will, while the likes of Valorant, Helldivers 2, and Apex Legends have settled into a seemingly steady place where they aren’t the biggest games, but they have a strong, healthy player base. But the list of failures is also large: Anthem, Spectre Divide, XDefiant, Spellbreak, just to name a few. Many had interesting hooks — It’s Fortnite but fantasy! You can control two bodies at once! — but it wasn’t enough.As much fun as I’m having with Highguard during the launch week, I’m also not convinced that its strategic matches, slick gunplay, and oddball fantasy setting are enough for lasting success in such a competitive space. It’s different, but not that different, and it can be hard to explain what it really is. The odds are certainly against it. So for now I’ll just enjoy the experience while it lasts — and be ready to do this all over again in March.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterSenior entertainment editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew WebsterAnalysisCloseAnalysisPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AnalysisEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReportMost PopularMost PopularTikTok USA is brokenPayment processors were against CSAM until Grok started making itEven the big dick subreddit is mad about ICETikTokers are heading to UpScrolled following US takeoverIntel Panther Lake laptop CPU review: call it a comebackThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The promise and peril of a new online shooter, as detailed by Andrew Webster, offers a critical assessment of the recent wave of attempts to disrupt the established online competitive shooter landscape. The article primarily focuses on Highguard, a new release from Wildlight Entertainment, while also providing a broader context of recent failures and successes within the genre. Webster argues that while Highguard presents an interesting blend of elements – encompassing aspects of a raid shooter, a hero shooter, and a MOBA – it struggles to differentiate itself sufficiently in a crowded market dominated by titans like Fortnite and Call of Duty.

The core of Webster’s argument is that innovation alone isn’t enough to guarantee longevity. Despite the pedigree of the developers—veterans from Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Call of Duty—and the game's initially compelling features like a rideable bear and hero-style ultimate abilities, Highguard failed to resonate with a wider audience. The article meticulously describes the frustrating gameplay loop, characterized by expansive maps and a scarcity of players, leading to prolonged periods of slow, aimless wandering in search of valuable equipment. This highlights a key peril for any new online shooter: the challenge of achieving critical mass and establishing a consistently engaged player base.

Webster utilizes a comparative lens, pointing to a catalogue of earlier failed attempts as evidence. He identifies a pattern wherein ambitious concepts—such as controlling two bodies simultaneously or incorporating fantasy elements—were ultimately deemed insufficient in the face of established competition and the difficulty of making a game “different enough” to capture attention. He details how several games attempted to carve out a niche by borrowing familiar mechanics from other genres, only to fall victim to the inherent difficulties of entering a space already occupied by industry giants.

The piece effectively analyzes the market forces at play. Webster doesn’t simply criticize Highguard's design; rather, he positions it within the larger context of the broader gaming industry. He effectively illustrates that a successful online shooter requires not only engaging gameplay but also a sustainable strategy for player acquisition and retention. The article concludes with a cautious assessment, acknowledging the enjoyable experience of playing Highguard during its initial launch window while simultaneously recognizing the considerable odds stacked against its long-term success, predicting a likely return to a familiar cycle of hype and eventual decline.