In a surprising move, Wildlight Entertainment, the development team behind the newly released multiplayer shooter Highguard, has announced a wave of layoffs just two weeks after the game’s debut. Known for its roster of talented developers who previously worked on popular titles like Apex Legends and Call of Duty, the company is now facing a significant reduction in its workforce. This news was confirmed by former employees such as Alex Graner, a level designer, and Josh Sobel, a lead tech artist, who shared their experiences on LinkedIn, indicating that a substantial portion of the team was affected.

In response to the layoffs, Wildlight released a statement expressing the difficulty of the decision. “Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting the game,” the statement read. “We’re proud of the team, talent, and the product we’ve created together. We’re also grateful for players who gave the game a shot, and those who continue to be a part of our community.”

Wildlight’s decision comes amid a broader trend in the gaming industry, as seen with Riot Games, which also recently downsized. Riot cut about 80 jobs from its team working on 2XKO, a fighting game set within the League of Legends universe, despite its recent launch. This reflects a challenging landscape for developers, as companies strive to balance innovation with financial sustainability.

Update as of February 11th: The article has been updated to include Wildlight’s official statement.