Wildlight Entertainment is sending Highguard out with one last major update, titled The Farewell Tour, set to go live on March 4 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET, just eight days before the game permanently shuts down on March 12. The patch introduces account progression, a skill tree, a new weapon, and a brand-new playable Warden named Koldo, making it the single largest content drop in the game's short life.
One Last Big Push
Highguard launched roughly a month ago to a notoriously rocky reception, and its servers go dark for good in just over a week. Wildlight Entertainment confirmed the patch in a post on X, thanking the players who stayed despite everything.
"For our final patch, we'd like to thank everyone who has played and is still playing Highguard," Wildlight wrote. "Even though we are shutting the game down, we are excited to give our remaining players one last big update to keep you entertained over the weekend."
When asked on X why features of this scale weren't ready at launch, Wildlight founder, studio head, and game director Chad Grenier gave a blunt answer: "When you're out of time and money, you have to release a game with the runway you have available and hope players will stick with you post-launch."
What's Inside The Farewell Tour
The patch doesn't come with traditional patch notes, but Wildlight published a detailed breakdown of what's included:
- Account Progression: Players earn XP by completing matches and level up their accounts. The current level cap sits at 100.
- Skill Tree: Each level-up grants skill points that can be spent across four distinct playstyle branches.
- New Weapon: A new weapon joins the arsenal, though Wildlight didn't disclose full details in the announcement.
- New Playable Warden: Koldo, a soul trapped in a suit of armor, joins the roster.
The skill tree is built around four playstyles, and players can mix and match across all branches:
"Each branch has a variety of options for players to choose from, with 2 tiers of power on all small nodes," Wildlight noted.
Meet Koldo, Highguard's Newest Warden
Koldo is a lost soul from before the continent of Highguard disappeared, now trapped inside a suit of armor and searching for answers about his past. Wildlight draws a clear parallel to Fullmetal Alchemist's Alphonse Elric in concept.
His abilities break down like this:
Passive: Guardian Angel
- Protects nearby friendly orbs from destruction.
- Automatically deploys a shield when reviving allies.
Tactical: Soul Shield
- Deploys a protective shield for Koldo and nearby allies.
Ultimate: Battle Cry
- Koldo raises a standard that creates a protective dome.
- The standard can be picked up, carried, and repositioned at will.
- Allies inside the dome benefit from faster health regeneration.
A Difficult Road to Shutdown
Highguard launched to immediate problems, with issues ranging from the game's demanding skill ceiling to internal factors described as "hubris" in a post-mortem report. The March 12 shutdown date was announced shortly before this final update, giving the game a lifespan of just over a month.
The fact that The Farewell Tour exists at all speaks to the remaining team at Wildlight. McCord's comments make clear this was a voluntary effort, with developers choosing to deliver something meaningful to the players who remained rather than simply letting the servers wind down quietly.
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