Alright, PlayXIX fam, grab your energy drinks because we've got some absolute SHOCKWAVES coming out of the Highguard universe! You know that free-to-play shooter by Wildlight that’s been, let’s just say, navigating some… turbulent waters lately? Well, a former level designer, who unfortunately got caught in the recent layoffs, has just hit us with a massive truth bomb, potentially revealing the *real* reason Highguard isn't soaring as high as it could be! Picture this: According to this ex-dev, the massive player drop-off and the game's overall struggles aren't due to some glitchy hit registration or a missing map. Nope! They're pointing the finger SQUARELY at Highguard's hyper-focus on the super 'sweaty' competitive 3v3 scene! This former Wildlight team member believes the studio *massively* overcorrected, leaning way too hard into the hardcore competitive grind. They suggest that this relentless push for high-stakes, intense matchups, while great for the esports elite, absolutely alienated and turned off a HUGE chunk of the player base who just wanted to hop in, chill, and have some fun without feeling like every single match was a Grand Finals elimination round. It seems that 'sweaty' vibe, in the end, might have been the ultimate buzzkill for Highguard's community!