It really did look like the end was nigh for Highguard just a few days after its release, when its initial player count plummeted to concerningly low levels.
However, based on the free-to-play shooter's current player tracking data via SteamDB, it's actually holding somewhat steady, averaging around 7,000 concurrent players over the last couple of days.
Okay, that's not a particularly mind-blowing total, but the game is surviving — and more positively, its player count now seems to be trending slightly upwards.
There's a reason for that: late last night, developer Wildlight Entertainment made its experimental five-on-five raid mode a permanent fixture. It had been temporarily introduced for the weekend, but it clearly proved to be a popular option.
"You've been asking, and we're happy to share—5v5 Raid Mode is here to stay!," the studio writes in a quick update.
"We appreciate everyone hopping in over the weekend to give the mode a try. We saw a fairly even split between 3v3 and 5v5, which helped inform our decision."
Indeed, one of the biggest criticisms of Highguard was that its maps were simply too vast to properly accommodate three-on-three matches. The common sentiment is that five-on-five suits the gameplay structure a lot better.
We're not sure that having a five-on-five mode would have made a huge difference to how the title was received right out of the gate, but it could be enough to keep the Highguard hanging in there while the team adjusts and improves other aspects of the experience.
For what it's worth, we think Highguard has potential — but it's the kind of potential that needs to be realised sooner rather than later if the game's to have any hope of lasting.
Are you still playing Highguard? Do you think there's still hope for the game? Stay on your (High)guard in the comments section below.