Highguard's Final 'Farewell Tour' Update Introduces New Warden and Skill Tree for Last Days of Service

Highguard, the free-to-play PvP raid shooter that debuted at The Game Awards last December, is preparing to shut down next week. Before its closure, developer Wildlight has rolled out one last major update titled 'Farewell Tour,' which serves as the game's final patch.

The game initially launched on January 26 with minimal pre-release communication, leading to a rapid decline in player numbers after a brief peak of nearly 100,000 concurrent users on Steam. Despite efforts to address player feedback, including the introduction of a 5v5 mode to counterbalance earlier 3v3 complaints, the studio faced significant layoffs shortly after launch.

In this final update, Wildlight expressed gratitude to the community: 'We want to thank everyone who has played Highguard. Even as we prepare to shut down, we're excited to offer our remaining players one last substantial update to enjoy over the weekend. Thank you for joining us on this journey.'

The patch introduces several new features for players to explore in the game's final days:

• A new Warden named Koldo, a mysterious figure trapped in armor who uses soul-based abilities to protect allies
• The Switchback weapon, a versatile firearm that functions as both a shotgun and marksman rifle
• Account level progression from 0 to 100, with XP gains accelerated for quick advancement
• A comprehensive Skill Tree system with 44 skill points available to customize playstyles

Players will earn 5 skill points at their first level-up, then 1 point per level until level 40, allowing them to fully specialize in two skill tree branches. The system includes four distinct playstyle paths with tiered upgrades, and skill points can be reset at any time without cost.

Koldo brings unique abilities including Guardian Angel (protecting friendly orbs and deploying shields during revives) and Soul Shield (creating a protective dome that boosts ally health regeneration). The Switchback weapon features a double-barrel design allowing for rapid two-shot bursts or sustained fire, with two golden variants available through loot chests or Trader Flynn.

Highguard will permanently close on March 12, giving players this final weekend to experience the new content before the servers go offline.