• Tencent secretly financed Wildlight’s hero shooter Highguard via TiMi Studio Group. • Wildlight claimed independence, yet its LinkedIn page states it is fully funded. • Highguard launched free‑to‑play in Jan 2026 but failed to meet internal expectations. • Studio cut staff, retaining core team to continue supporting the game. • CEO Dusty Welch declined to disclose funding sources, citing business confidentiality. • Wildlight founded 2021 by ex‑Respawn developers, aiming for innovative shooters.
Article Summaries:
- Tencent reportedly financed Wildlight Entertainment’s Highguard
Anonymous sources say Tencent’s subsidiary TiMi Studio Group was the main financier behind Wildlight Entertainment’s hero shooter Highguard. Neither Wildlight nor Tencent has confirmed the claim, though the studio’s LinkedIn page describes itself as a “fully‑funded” entity. Wildlight CEO Dusty Welch has previously denied backing from a large organization. Highguard launched free‑to‑play on 26 January 2026, drawing a large initial player base but falling short of internal expectations. Within two weeks of release, Wildlight announced layoffs, retaining only a core team to continue development. The move underscores the game’s underperformance and the studio’s restructuring.
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