Respawn Entertainment just dropped a bombshell at The Game Awards 2025 with the reveal of Highguard, a new PvP raid shooter that puts players in the boots of powerful Wardens. Mixing high-speed mounted combat with tight, objective-based raids, Highguard promises to flip the competitive shooter playbook on its head—and it’s hitting hard in just seven weeks.
Highguard’s surprise reveal blends Respawn pedigree with fresh shooter concepts
Respawn Entertainment knows how to make an entrance. From Titanfall’s wall-running madness to Apex Legends’ slick hero-shooter chaos, this studio has a history of shaking up the shooter scene. At The Game Awards 2025, they pulled back the curtain on Highguard—a game that dares to mix raid-style objectives with blistering PvP action. And it’s coming fast: launching on January 26, 2026, free-to-play on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
The trailer blasted through explosive raids, mounted chases, and team-based firefights—all packed into Respawn’s trademark fluid motion. It looked like Titanfall married Destiny and raised a child who sprinted before crawling. Highguard didn’t just show up—it galloped into the spotlight with heavy artillery.
Mounted raids and Warden warfare—what exactly is Highguard?
At its core, Highguard is built around three verbs: ride, fight, and raid. Players become Wardens—likely class-based characters designed for different combat styles—and enter competitive matches where the goal isn’t just fragging opponents but launching raids on enemy strongholds. It’s not a kill-count contest; it’s strategic assault wrapped in high-octane action.
This isn’t your average run-and-gun shootout. Mounted movement plays a central role here. Whether riding futuristic bikes or biomechanical beasts (the trailer was coy), players can charge into battle or flank defenses at speed. On-foot gunplay still matters—this is Respawn after all—but success depends on knowing when to charge and when to dismount for close-quarters control.
The Warden roles suggest layered team dynamics. Think tanky frontliners storming gates while agile riders peel off to intercept reinforcements. One sharp-eyed viewer might’ve caught hints of support-style characters boosting mount speed or repairing siege tools mid-raid. If these roles are real, Highguard could be building toward full-on tactical squads instead of lone-wolf skirmishes.
Where mobility meets mayhem—why Highguard feels different
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Image: Wildlight Entertainment, Inc.
Highguard isn’t trying to outgun other shooters—it’s trying to outrun them too. Respawn has always favored momentum in its games, and here that philosophy reaches overdrive. Gunfights move fast as a speeding bullet, but now there’s verticality and velocity thanks to the riding mechanics layered onto traditional FPS combat.
The mounted movement doesn’t feel like a gimmick either. In the trailer’s most jaw-dropping moment, a rider launched off a cliff edge into mid-air combat before landing behind enemy lines—imagine if Halo had horses with thrusters and everyone carried shotguns tuned for jousting distance.
This blend of riding and raiding means matches won’t follow predictable loops. Teams can blitz through flanks at breakneck speed or build slow siege pushes using fortified positions and synchronized assaults. Mounted units offer disruption tactics rarely seen in shooters today—a cavalry charge through entrenched defenders? That’s not just cinematic; it might be meta-defining.
Apex fans and Titanfall vets have plenty of reasons to pay attention
Shooter fans who miss Titanfall’s vehicle integration—or who’ve burned out on Apex’s constant circle collapses—might find new life in Highguard’s format. This isn’t about surviving till the last ring or topping leaderboards by raw kill count; it’s about outsmarting opponents during live combat raids that shift every few seconds.
There’s also something here for players who miss coordination-heavy modes like Overwatch’s Payload pushes or Destiny’s Gambit runs but want more edge-of-the-seat gunplay. A strong team could swing entire matches through smart timing: launch a mounted raid while defenders are respawning? That could be the difference between victory or watching your Warden walk home in shame.
Back in the day, when ranked teams would run coordinated dives on King’s Canyon in Apex Legends using Pathfinder ziplines for instant disruption—that kind of strategy now has wheels (literally) in Highguard. With proper squad communication and map awareness, mounted raids might become this game’s equivalent of third-party wipes: risky but game-breaking when done right.
Respawn knows how to build competitive ecosystems—and Highguard looks built for endurance
If there’s one thing Respawn does better than most studios, it’s pacing their multiplayer experiences around movement mastery without making things feel unfair. They’ve shown they can balance verticality with shooting precision in both Titanfall and Apex Legends—and those lessons will likely carry over into Highguard.
The studio also has experience managing live-service models without tipping into “pay-to-win” territory too early. Free-to-play usually comes with strings attached (cosmetics shops stuffed fuller than an ammo crate), but Respawn has walked this line before without scaring away core players hungry for fair fights.
Even from just one trailer, it’s clear Highguard is being positioned as more than just another arena brawler—it feels like an ecosystem waiting to bloom: class builds to discover, mounts to master, maps designed for dynamic sieges rather than static shootouts. If they stick the landing at launch, this could become Respawn’s next long-haul title—not just a flash-in-the-pan experiment.
The unknowns linger—but that’s part of what makes it exciting
The trailer gives enough flash to spark hype but leaves big questions unanswered: What do Warden classes actually do? Are mounts customizable? Is there loot? How do player progressions work across seasons?
No word yet on monetization plans either—which could mean anything from cosmetic-only passes to deeper customization systems tied into gameplay perks (though hopefully not locked behind paywalls). There’s also silence around match formats: Are raids timed events? Do defenders respawn endlessly? Can you turn the tide mid-match if your squad loses momentum early?
The silence is deafening—but calculated. With launch so close after reveal, Respawn likely wants player discovery to fuel early buzz rather than drip-feeding details through months of previews.
When does Highguard come out?
Highguard launches January 26, 2026, hitting Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 as a free-to-play title across all platforms from day one. That gives players just seven weeks from announcement to get ready for what could be one of next year’s most aggressive new shooters.
Chatter already hints at possible beta tests or early previews ahead of release—as Respawn did with Apex Legends’ surprise drop years ago—so fans should keep eyes locked on official channels for updates soon.
The countdown begins—will you ride or be raided?
With only weeks until launch and hype climbing fast after The Game Awards reveal, Highguard is shaping up as one of Respawn’s boldest ideas yet—a fusion of speed-focused gunplay and strategic raiding never quite seen before in PvP shooters. Whether chasing objectives atop roaring mounts or holding ground as tactical Wardens under fire from all sides—the battlefield looks brutal…and brilliant.
If Respawn sticks the landing again, will this be the next big step forward for competitive FPS games—or just another stylish detour?
F.A.Q.
When does Highguard come out?
Highguard is set to launch on January 26, 2026. It will be available as a free-to-play title on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
What type of game is Highguard?
Highguard is a PvP raid shooter that combines high-speed mounted combat with objective-based raids. Players assume the role of Wardens in competitive multiplayer matches focusing on strategic assaults rather than just kill counts.
What platforms is Highguard available on?
Highguard will be available on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, offering cross-platform accessibility from its launch.
Does Highguard have multiplayer?
Yes, Highguard is designed as a multiplayer game, focusing on competitive PvP matches where players work together as Wardens to complete raid-style objectives against opposing teams.
What makes Highguard different from other shooters?
Highguard stands out by integrating mounted movement mechanics with traditional FPS gameplay, allowing players to execute high-speed flanks and aerial raids. This blend of riding and raiding introduces unique PvP dynamics not commonly found in other shooters.
Who are the Wardens in Highguard?
In Highguard, players take on the role of Wardens, which are likely class-based characters tailored for different combat styles. These roles suggest strategic team dynamics, where each Warden may contribute uniquely to raid scenarios.
