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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Highguard’s 2026 roadmap outlined seven Episodes, from the launch slate through a December update. It did not run its planned course: Wildlight Entertainment announced on March 3 that the free-to-play raid shooter would permanently shut down on March 12, 2026. Episodes 3–7 are therefore announced plans, not a list of updates confirmed to have launched.
What was Highguard’s 2026 roadmap?
The roadmap divided the year into seven Episodes. Episode 1 was the launch slate; Episode 2 was scheduled for February–March; Episodes 3–6 were each assigned two-month windows; and Episode 7 was planned for December. Insider Gaming’s roadmap breakdown lists the specific content below. These entries describe the announced plan, not a guarantee of delivery.
At launch, Highguard was presented as a free-to-play PvP raid shooter. Xbox Wire’s January 26, 2026 preview described matches in which two teams of three fortified bases, gathered resources and power, and then raided their opponents. Game director and Wildlight co-founder Chad Grenier summarized the intended match arc: “Every match is about escalation: fortifying, venturing out, clashing, then mounting coordinated raids and defenses until only one base is left standing.”
Episode-by-episode content in the announced plan
| Episode and planned timing | Announced content | Status established by the sources |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 — launch | 5 maps, 6 bases, 8 Wardens, 3 mounts, 10 weapons, and 3 raid tools | Launch slate, as listed in the roadmap breakdown |
| Episode 2 — February to March | A new Warden, map, Ranked Mode, mount, base, and raid tool | Official Steam announcements document Warden Ekon, the Skydrift location, Ranked Mode, and additional gameplay and quality-of-life changes. The reviewed Steam material corroborates those examples, not necessarily every listed roadmap item. |
| Episode 3 — April to May | A new Warden, weapon, mods, base, loot item, and amulets | Announced plan; no launch is established here |
| Episode 4 — June to July | A new Warden, map, weapon, mods, base, limited-time mode, and amulets | Announced plan; no launch is established here |
| Episode 5 — August to September | A new Warden, weapon, mount, mods, base, loot item, and amulets | Announced plan; no launch is established here |
| Episode 6 — October to November | A new Warden, map, weapon, “Surprise,” mods, base, and amulets | Announced plan; the roadmap did not explain what “Surprise” meant |
| Episode 7 — December | A new Warden, “Surprise,” and mods | Announced plan; the roadmap did not explain what “Surprise” meant |
The roadmap account described new core content as free for players. Xbox Wire’s launch-era preview likewise relayed the developer’s plan for Episodes to bring new maps, bases, modes, Wardens, weapons, mounts, raid tools, loot, and other additions. That describes the intended content model, not proof that every item arrived.
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What was documented as delivered?
Episode 2 examples
Highguard’s official Steam announcement archive records Episode 2 additions including Warden Ekon, the Skydrift location, and Ranked Mode, alongside other gameplay and quality-of-life changes. The roadmap had also listed a mount, base, and raid tool; the cited Steam examples do not by themselves verify each of those entries.
The final update before closure
Wildlight announced that a final update would add a new Warden, weapon, account-level progression, and skill trees. In a March 5, 2026 report, PC Gamer identified the Warden as Koldo and the weapon as Switchback, and described the progression and skill-tree additions. Creative director Jason McCord told PC Gamer, “This is our final update and it’s big,” while crediting the developers who completed it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did the roadmap stop?
On March 3, 2026, Wildlight announced that Highguard would permanently shut down on March 12. Gematsu reproduced the studio’s explanation: “Despite the passion and hard work of our team, we have not been able to build a sustainable player base to support the game long term.” Wildlight also said that more than two million players had entered the game since launch; that is the developer’s reported figure, not an independently audited count of unique players.
Because the announced closure came before the later Episodes’ scheduled windows, the roadmap should not be read as a release history. The sources establish the planned Episode 3–7 content and the closure announcement, but do not establish those Episodes as launched. They also do not establish an exact server-offline time.
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Sources
- Insider Gaming’s Highguard roadmap breakdown for the Episode schedule and announced content.
- Xbox Wire’s January 26, 2026 preview for launch-era match design and the planned free core content.
- Highguard’s official Steam announcement archive for Episode 2 content examples.
- Gematsu’s report of Wildlight’s March 3 shutdown announcement.
- PC Gamer’s March 5, 2026 report on the final update.
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