"HIGHGUARD HAS LOST 95% OF IT'S PLAYER BASE IN UNDER 24 HOURS"

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠The latest Notorious Mass Effect segment from Analytic Dreamz delivers a no-holds-barred postmortem on Highguard, the free-to-play PvP raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment that launched January 26, 2026, only to implode spectacularly. Featuring ex-Respawn talent including Dusty Welch, Jason McCord, Chad Grenier, and Mohammad Alavi, Highguard promised a fresh take on hero shooters with Warden characters raiding mythical continents across PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.Analytic Dreamz breaks down the brutal stats: an all-time Steam peak of 97,249 concurrent players cratered to a current 7,339 (-92% drop), with a 24-hour peak of just 19,296. Reviews sit at Mostly Negative (35% positive, 32.98% score from 18,000–21,000+ total), driven by massive empty maps in 3v3 matches, excessive mount downtime, bland hero abilities, poor optimization, crashes, Secure Boot/TPM 2.0 barriers, server instability, and matchmaking woes.The episode examines the fatal factors: oversaturated hero-shooter market (Marvel Rivals holding ~160,000 daily players), genre fatigue, radio-silent marketing post-The Game Awards 2025 world premiere (championed by Geoff Keighley, who faced backlash including calls to retire), and a shadowdrop launch echoing Apex Legends 2019—but without polish or clear identity. Analytic Dreamz covers Wildlight's response, including CEO Dusty Welch admitting trailer missteps and taking responsibility, plus Creative Director Jason McCord defending the silence strategy.Additional context includes near-zero Twitch viewership (~53 current, 5,343 24-hour peak), the Dr Disrespect fake preview controversy, and why this mirrors Concord's retention failure but on a faster timeline. This episode unpacks the launch death spiral, mismanaged hype, and slim revival odds in a fact-heavy, in-depth analysis.Tune in to Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect for unfiltered gaming insights—subscribe now for more breakdowns on industry highs, lows, and everything in between. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/exclusive-contentPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy