Is Wildlight Entertainment, Inc.’s PvP raid shooter free to play? Here’s what you need to know about Highguard.
Players who are interested in checking out Highguard may want to know if the game is free or not. Read on for the answer plus information on Highguard's release date and time plus what to expect when you jump into the fray.
Is Highguard free to play?
Yes. Highguard is free to download and play on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. During The Game Awards, Highguard's developer, Wildlight Entertainment, revealed this in the last few seconds of the game's trailer.
Is Highguard free?
During an invite-only playtest, Wildlight Entertainment revealed to esports.gg that Highguard's core gameplay content will be free. The game will also follow a live service model with a full year of post-launch content already in development. This content will arrive in episodes about every two months and split into two parts. There will also be new maps, bases, characters, modes, weapons, mounts, raid tools, and loot items released monthly throughout 2026.
In terms of cosmetics, Wildlight Entertainment players can earn them for free via the Highguard Trading Post and quests. At launch, there's free warchest at launch with 44 items in total. The items include 11 legendary skins and emotes for wardens, weapons, and mounts. It should also be noted that cosmetics have no effect on gameplay.
Highguard release date
Highguard's release date is Jan. 26. This can also be seen via the trailer plus Highguard's official Steam page.
Highguard release time
According to the game's Steam page at the time of publishing this article, Highguard's planned release time is approximately 9 a.m. PT. This is the same as 12 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. CT. Our table below shows more time zones and Highguard release dates and times.
Time Zone | Release Time |
|---|---|
| Pacific Time (PT) | 9 a.m. PT |
| Mountain Time (MT) | 10 a.m. MT |
| Central Time (CT) | 11 a.m. CT |
| Eastern Time (ET) | 12 p.m. ET |
| Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | 5 p.m. GMT |
| Central European Time (CET) | 6 p.m. CET |
| Japan Standard Time (JST) | 2 a.m. JST on Jan. 27 |
| Australian Eastern Time (AET) | 3 a.m. AET on Jan. 27 |
What to expect in Highguard
Highguard is a player-versus-player (PvP) raid shooter where players control characters, also known as "wardens," in teams of three. These teams must protect and upgrade their bases while going around the map for resources and gear.
Players can also carry the Shieldbreaker item to enemy bases to destroy shields and trigger raids. If a base survives, then its shields restore and the match continues with a new Shieldbreaker spawning somewhere else. The fights keep escalating until only one base remains standing.
That's all for now. Stick around on esports.gg for more Highguard news and updates.
