Highguard launched globally on January 26, 2026, at a reported 18:00 UTC—10:00 a.m. Pacific, 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 p.m. GMT, and 7:00 p.m. CET. That date and countdown are now historical: GamesRadar+ reported that Wildlight announced the game would permanently shut down on March 12, 2026.
When did Highguard release?
Contemporaneous coverage reported January 26, 2026, as Highguard’s global release date. Wildlight’s Japan-local launch press release is dated January 27, consistent with the date having already rolled over there. The studio described Highguard as a free-to-play PvP raid shooter for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, with full cross-play. Wildlight’s launch announcement
What time did the Highguard countdown point to?
The reported unlock time was 18:00 UTC on January 26, 2026. These are the corresponding local times for that date:
| Location or time zone | Reported unlock |
|---|---|
| Pacific (PST) | 10:00 a.m., January 26 |
| Eastern (EST) | 1:00 p.m., January 26 |
| United Kingdom (GMT) | 6:00 p.m., January 26 |
| Central Europe (CET) | 7:00 p.m., January 26 |
| Japan (JST) | 3:00 a.m., January 27 |
The Steam store page displayed a countdown before launch. PC Gamer and GameSpot reported the 1:00 p.m. Eastern / 10:00 a.m. Pacific time based on that countdown and related launch information; the exact time was not directly confirmed by Wildlight in the cited reporting. PC Gamer’s release-time report · GameSpot’s release-time report
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Was 18:00 UTC officially confirmed?
Not as a direct developer announcement in the cited coverage. PC Gamer noted that Wildlight had not stated the precise unlock time, while pointing to the Steam countdown and the studio’s showcase scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Pacific on January 26. GameSpot likewise tied the reported global PC time to SteamDB and said it could not verify whether console release timing would differ. The careful description is therefore “the reported time, based on the Steam countdown,” not an officially confirmed exact time for every platform. PC Gamer’s showcase coverage
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is the Highguard countdown still live?
No. The Steam countdown was for the January 26 launch and is no longer a countdown to an upcoming release. GamesRadar+ reported on March 3, 2026, that Wildlight had announced a permanent shutdown for March 12, 2026. That status is attributed here to the outlet’s report. GamesRadar+’s shutdown report
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