Highguard's Game Awards reveal drew heavy pre-release backlash

Pcgamer reports that Highguard, described as a "photoreal PvP hero shooter," was the final big reveal at last year's Game Awards and immediately drew significant pre-release backlash.

Viewers expecting a different type of showcase, likened to 2023's Monster Hunter Wilds reveal or the 2021 Matrix Unreal Engine 5 tech demo and Matrix 4 trailer, reacted with harsh criticism. The reveal was met with hot takes citing "Concord vibes" and accumulated roughly 2,400 dislikes on YouTube compared to around 500 likes when it first posted. Some observers assumed the studio had paid for the exclusive slot, fueling the idea that the showrunners "wanted this smoke."

The article says the slot was actually free, and that the otherwise valuable Game Awards placement has left Highguard with an uphill battle to win people over. It remains unclear whether a different marketing approach—such as the surprise or "shadow drop" tactic used by Apex Legends—would have changed the reception.

Key Topics

Culture, Highguard, Game Awards, Concord, Apex Legends, Respawn