I Wasn’t Really Interested in Highguard Before, But I Am Now

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When Geoff Keighley unveiled Highguard at The Game Awards 2025, my immediate reaction was confusion. I thought Larian’s Divinity (especially considering the statue hint) or Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic would have been better choices to end the show on a high note. Although I’ve spent a lot of time playing Apex Legends and have fond memories of Titanfall, Highguard didn’t really grab my attention.

Despite the promotional excitement, Highguard is a player-versus-player shooter with raiding elements, where you play as a “Warden” – essentially an arcane gunslinger fighting over a legendary continent. Honestly, it sounds pretty similar to many existing games in the looter shooter, hero shooter, and battle royale categories. I’ll admit, I’m a little tired of those genres in general, which probably explains why this game didn’t immediately grab my attention.

When I realize a game isn’t for me, I usually joke about it with a few friends—one of whom is actually looking forward to it—and then quickly forget about it. Honestly, I don’t want to form an opinion, and I certainly don’t want to dwell on it. And here’s a free piece of advice: you don’t need to have an opinion either. You don’t need to share your thoughts. You can simply move on—which is saying something, coming from someone who grew up in the South, where we’re not always known for letting things go! But the public reaction has been different, and that means I’ll likely be playing Highguard when it comes out on January 26th.

Highguard Hate Feels So Forced, Like A Lot of Hate

Look, I gotta say something that probably feels obvious to most of us. I really don’t believe hate just happens. It’s something we learn, usually from our families, friends, or just people who are generally unhappy. And honestly, it’s super frustrating to see the gaming world sometimes reward that negativity – it’s the easiest way to get a reaction online. So, after the reveal of Highguard, what did I see? Just a ton of hate everywhere I looked. Seriously, I can’t scroll through any feed without seeing people write it off as dead on arrival – saying it’s failing because of bad marketing, that it doesn’t look appealing, or that it’s just Concord 2.0. It’s just… disappointing.

I recently saw a truly disheartening exchange online, and unfortunately I can’t recall where I saw it amidst all the negativity. A mother shared that her son was working on a game and hoped people would enjoy it. Someone responded with a very harsh and critical comment, and when called out for being rude, they defended it by saying that honesty justified the negativity. Honestly, whether something is ‘true’ doesn’t matter here – it was just an opinion. There’s absolutely no need to put others down over a video game. If you don’t enjoy something, simply move on. And if others are having fun with something you’re not, let them! I’m happy to discuss a game’s quality and have constructive debates, but I refuse to be needlessly rude to strangers. That’s what being a good friend is about.

It’s worth pointing out that Highguard bought an ad during The Game Awards, but Geoff Keighley chose to feature it prominently. He seems to genuinely enjoy the game, and while I might not feel the same way, I respect his opinion. What’s frustrating is the immediate backlash online, with people calling Highguard everything from “Concord 2.0” to simply “bad” without even trying it. Marketing is designed to create a perception of quality, but that perception isn’t the same as actually playing the game. Trailers can be misleading – they’ve made both good and bad games appear differently to viewers.

Congrats, You’ve Made Me a Highguard Player

All the negativity surrounding Highguard has actually made me more interested in the game. I wasn’t paying attention before, but now I’m really hoping it’s good. I’m going to form my own opinion by playing it and thinking for myself – that’s the best way to do things. If you’re curious about Highguard, especially since it’s free to try, just ignore the negativity. Even someone as successful as Eminem has critics! You’d think after years of songs about haters, people would realize how silly it is, but that’s beside the point.

You can ride a bear???

Despite a lack of traditional advertising, Highguard is generating a lot of buzz – and a surprising amount of negativity. Usually, that kind of hate would kill a game, but in my case, it’s actually made me curious. The negative comments have unintentionally acted as free marketing! I’m going to give it a try because I like to form my own opinions, rather than just listening to what others say. I value firsthand experience over watching trailers, and since Highguard is free to play, there’s no risk. Why not check it out with me and see what you think? I’d love to hear your opinion too.

To the Highguard development team and everyone who worked so hard on this game, I wish you an amazing launch and hope it’s everything you’ve dreamed of. And to those who are criticizing it – you’re actually helping with the publicity, so thanks!

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2026-01-21 19:05